Posted on 12/10/2009 3:46:39 PM PST by myknowledge
US President Barack Obama has confronted the paradox of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize while serving as a war president.
Accepting the speech in the Norwegian capital Oslo overnight, Mr Obama said war is sometimes needed to pursue security and peace and that violent conflicts will not end in our lifetime.
He told his audience that he was obligated to protect and defend the United States and that the use of force was sometimes not only necessary, but morally justified.
Mr Obama also tackled head-on the critics who say that he has been prematurely awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
"I face the world as it is and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people, for, make no mistake, evil does exist in the world," he said.
"A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince Al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms."
The President has also confronted the irony that he has accepted this award just nine days after ordering more US troops to Afghanistan.
"Some will kill and some will be killed, and so I come here with an acute sense of the costs of armed conflict, filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace and our effort to replace one with the other.
"Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this, the United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms."
Mr Obama has also stressed the need to fight war, according to what he calls "rules of conduct".
"I believe the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war," he said.
"That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength."
He also emphasised using both sanctions and diplomatic outreach to confront nations, such as Iran or North Korea.
"No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door," Mr Obama said.
David Gergen, who has served as a White House adviser to four presidents, says Mr Obama put Iraq into the category of unjust war.
"But in contrast to what he's been doing sometimes overseas, which is almost apologising for the United States, in this speech he stood up proudly for the United States's record in World War II on," Mr Gergen said.
"He said 'I speak with pride' and I think that will be welcomed here at home."
The Nobel committee's decision to award Mr Obama this prize is controversial, something the President has acknowledged.
"Compared to some of the giants of history who've received this prize - Schweitzer and King, Marshall and Mandela - my accomplishments are slight," he said.
Meanwhile, more than 6,000 people have marched in a peaceful, torchlight procession aimed at denouncing nuclear weapons and ended up outside Mr Obama's hotel.
One group of protesters held signs reading: "Obama you won it, now earn it."
Again, BHO DOES NOT deserve the Nobel False Peace Prize, this warmonger. Is this what he gets, after sending 3 more divisions of U.S. troops to Afghanistan?
Failed president 0bama defends war in Peace Prize speech
Give warmongers like Obama a chance, yeah right.
From the parts of this speech I’ve read, frankly, I’m stunned he uttered those words. Seriously, I wonder if he is choking his writers right now for not consulting him about changes made. The peace-at-all-costs loons must be throwing themselves off of the nearest bridge they can find.
Speech was OK until “the one” started his usual obilique bashing of the US. He has forbidden torture. Translation: US has committed torture. He has ordered Gitmo closed. Translation: The US physically abused accused terrorists at Gitmo and denied them civil trials.
The POTUS went on, US will observe restrictive rules of engagement even though a ruthless enemy observes none. True, we had rules of engagement in WWII but they included carpet bombing German cities, using flame throwers to flush Japanese troops out of their tunnels, and A-bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki..
What a fool and international embarrassment! That poor dog, Bo. I understand he refuses to give Nobama unconditional love.
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