I'll leave it to you to "interpret" what this means and which of your body parts it relates to, Gunnar.
Posted on 10/11/2002 12:37:27 PM PDT by MadIvan
A row has broken out among members of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee just hours after it awarded this year's accolade to former US President Jimmy Carter.
After announcing the winner, committee chairman Gunnar Berge said the award to Mr Carter "should be interpreted as a criticism" of President George W Bush's policy on Iraq.
He was commenting upon a line in the committee's announcement which said: "In a situation currently marked by threats of the use of power, Carter has stood by the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international co-operation".
But two of Mr Gunnar's colleagues said they did not agree with the remarks which had not been cleared with the other four members of the committee - a body appointed by the Norwegian parliament based on the strengths of the parties represented in the legislature.
The BBC's Lars Bevanger says it is not usual for members to make comments on current political conflicts and political analysts here say such statements do little to help the image of the committee as being politically independent.
Mr Carter said he did not see the prize as a criticism of President Bush's policies, but added that it did send a message to Washington about the need to avoid unilateral action and work in partnership with other countries
However, referring to the vote in the US Congress giving Mr Bush authority to use force against Baghdad, Mr Carter said he would have voted against such a resolution.
'Humbled'
In its announcement of this year's winner, the Nobel committee honoured Mr Carter for "decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development".
It said that during his presidency from 1977 to 1981, Mr Carter's "mediation was a vital contribution to the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, in itself a great enough achievement to qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize".
Accepting the award, the former US president said he was "humbled and honoured".
"This honour serves as an inspiration not only to us, but also to suffering people around the world, and I accept it on their behalf," he said.
The former US president also called for greater efforts to promote peace and justice.
"People everywhere share the same dream of a caring community that prevents war and oppression," he said.
Mr Carter is the third US president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize - after Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.
He will receive the award at a ceremony at Oslo's City Hall on 10 December - the anniversary of the death of the prize's creator, Swedish industrialist - and the inventor of dynamite - Alfred Nobel.
Rare discord
Gunnar Berge said the award to Mr Carter "should be interpreted as a criticism of the line that the current administration has taken".
"It's a kick in the leg to all that follow the same line as the United States," Mr Berge said.
But two of his colleagues disagreed.
"As I see it, that is not the committee's opinion," said Inger Marie Ytterhorn, of the right-wing Party of Progress.
Hanna Kvanmo - of the Socialist Left Party - also said Mr Berge's statements represented his own opinion.
However, committee member Gunnar Staalsett said he fully supported the chairman's remarks and agreed that the citation was indeed a criticism of Mr Bush.
"Berge offered an interpretation that I have no problem in supporting," Mr Staalsett told the Associated Press news agency.
The chairman later conceded he had not cleared the remarks in the middle of a press conference.
Eyes must be tired. First time reading this I saw "flatulant."
Yes that's why my mailbox is flooded with hate mail saying the same. Not.
Give it a rest or you will be receiving the FR Goebbels Medal!
Unlikely, Comrade. Still smarting from the last time you tried to push pacifism?
Ivan
Oh, joy. I suspect he's the same unwashed fellow who tried to hit me up for change at the London Underground station, for the Socialist Worker newspaper. I tried to explain to him that John Lennon is now dead and can't call off the "Not Washing for Peace" movement, but as you see, to no avail.
Regards, Ivan
Fame at last!!! :-)
Regards, Ivan
Oh, you know Reagan had nothing to do with it. The Soviet Union didn't collapse until 1991, after all. </sarcasm>
Regards, Ivan
I'll leave it to you to "interpret" what this means and which of your body parts it relates to, Gunnar.
I know, and agree totally. I just can't stand the way these leftist jerks think the only real way to peace is through endless conferences and saying nice things, instead of through ACTION. Carter gets all the credit, and Reagan gets labeled a psychotic Rambo. It's such BS.
Of course! Only Americans died there, and we don't count since we're the world's agressor!
He might. But that won't be reflected in the table that lists the count of Nobel prizes by country.
It's like racking up gold medals in the Olympics.
That's the ONLY one they've gotten right.
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