A Nobel Prize for Nothing

 

By Masood Kazerani

 

It’s now almost a year since Obama was elected as U.S. president. A quick glance at the events during this time reveal how the new president fared and how successful he was on his promises.

 

This time last year everybody was thinking that Obama was the man they were waiting for after a disastrous period they went through under George W. Bush presidency.

 

We thought Obama was going to follow through his promises like ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, pulling troops out of Iraq and concentrating on real war against extremists – Bush policies included.

 

But now after one year nothing that even remotely resembles those new policies has taken place. Yet Obama got himself a Nobel Peace Prize.

 

For example, the U.S. military presence in Iraq instead of ending started to grow, this time under private contractors.

 

The war in Afganistan is expanding by the day as Taliban gained the upper hands in recent months. The Afghan government is mired in corruption. Thanks to multinational forces’ presence and their protection of warlords and opium traders, corrupt Afghan officials find themselves doing as they wish. Obama is now contemplating over sending additional troops to Afghanistan.

 

Then there is the peace negotiation between the Palestinians and Israelis, a negotiation that went on theatrically for so long during the Bush administration. That idea is now completely put off since the Obama team can’t bring itself to act as an honest peace broker - always leaning towards the Israeli side.

 

In addition, Obama started another major war in northern parts of Pakistan a country of 160 million people known to have at least 60 nuclear bombs.

 

In East Asia, Korean conflict goes on. Only yesterday, North and South Korean warships exchanged a shoot out near their borders.

 

Elsewhere, in South America the new anti-American governments have joined hands to create a block against U.S. imperialism in their region. Obama, however, plans on building a big military base in Colombia counting only on his personal friendship with Colombian officials.

 

The list goes on and on. There is nothing to show for. And here comes the biggest problem of all – the economic recession. Printing and borrowing money are two of Obama’s solutions to keep the U.S. economy from sinking further into abyss.

 

With over 30 million unemployed and underemployed Americans that is nearly 1 out of every 5 person in the workforce, the future looks bleaker than ever.

 

Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize for doing nothing that he should deserve it.

 

Masood Kazerani – Hamsayeh.Net,  Nov. 12, 09

 

Masood Kazerani is a freelance journalist/ reporter specializing in current world affairs, travel and tourism. He writes for: https://hamsayeh.net