Tulsa World: Peace in mind

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Peace in mind
Local figures share differing views on Obama's selection

President Barack Obama said he was surprised and humbled by the honor, which he said he viewed not "as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations." Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

By JIM MYERS and RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writers
Published: 10/10/2009 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 10/10/2009 3:42 AM

Related story: Q&A on Obama's Nobel surprise.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe said Friday that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize after "gutting'' the nation's military.

"So, to me those people using whatever criteria they use to issue the Nobel Peace Prize, I think they look at the new emphasis of America (which) is not to be strong, not to be a military giant but to be a multinationalist nation,'' the Oklahoma Republican said.

A new member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with years of service on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Inhofe ticked off a number of specific examples of how Obama has "disarmed'' the U.S. military.

Those included canceling a missile defense site in Poland, reducing the number of new F-22 fighter jets, postponing development of the next generation bomber, and canceled purchase of new C-17 transport planes and killing a Future Combat System for a manned ground vehicle.

Inhofe recalled that in February, upon learning what the Obama administration would do to the military's budget, he joked that the president would make a good candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

He said Obama has fallen in line with others who place an internationalist point of view over efforts to ensure the U.S. remains a strong military superpower.

Inhofe also dismissed comments that Obama's surprise selection for the peace prize will improve the country's standing in the world.

"As much as people say they didn't like America, there was a respect because we were a strong country,'' he said.

Inhofe said a major concern now is that Obama might be influenced by his winning the peace prize and reject a request for 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan.

Republican Reps. John Sullivan and Frank Lucas took a different approach.

"Becoming a Nobel laureate after only eight months on the job is an accomplishment that should not go unnoticed,'' Sullivan said.

"It is my sincere hope that his words will be followed with strong actions and that this award will not dictate our nation's policy for the course of his term."

Lucas said many people in the world have worked their entire lives and made dramatic differences to create a safer, more peaceful world.

"I hope that the president will be able to live up to the honor of this award,'' he said.

Rep. Dan Boren, the only Democrat in the state's congressional delegation, was not available for comment Friday.

Robert Donaldson, trustees professor of political science at the University of Tulsa, said Obama's selection is as much a commentary on the Nobel committee's view of the Bush administration as on Obama.

"The Nobel committee was obviously drawing a contrast with the Bush administration, which they saw as unilateral and militarist in direction," Donaldson said.

Giving the prize to Obama, Donaldson said, is meant to encourage the U.S. to pursue a more "engaged" course of action.

"They'reapplauding (Obama) for beginning to go down another path rather than completing the course."

Rodger Randle, director of the Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, said he was "taken aback" by the news, but soon changed his mind.

"Upon reflection, I realized he has fundamentally altered the international climate," Randle said. "He has made possible movements that would have been impossible a year ago.

"To the relief of the rest of the world," Randle said, "Obama has been successful at putting an American back in the position of being an admired and useful leader. And the world needs leadership."

What they’re saying

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R): “So, to me those people using whatever criteria they use to issue the Nobel Peace Prize, I think they look at the new emphasis of america (which) is not to be strong, not to be a military giant but to be a multinationalist nation.”

Rep. John Sullivan (R): “It is my sincere hope that his words will be followed with strong actions and that this award will not dictate our nation’s policy for the course of his term.”

Rep. Frank Lucas (R): “I hope that the president will be able to live up to the honor of this award.”

Jim Myers (202) 484-1424, Randy Krehbiel 581-8365
jim.myers@tulsaworld.com, randy.krehbiel@tulsaworld.com By JIM MYERS and RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writers

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Inhofe: Obama received Nobel Peace Prize for "de-emphasizing defense"," which was published on 10/9/2009.

	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (10/9/2009 11:12:38 AM) Oh brother.
	Report Comment Charley, (10/9/2009 11:14:32 AM) Who cares? The Nobel Prize is now a worthless honor that is given to politicians... An honor for rhetoric instead of works & deeds.
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (10/9/2009 11:16:13 AM) This is not anything big to me....boring news. Tell me he's fixed the economy then he can have an award.
	Report Comment Ignatz, A nice place where Democrats hold every office in the County. (10/9/2009 11:24:08 AM) Trying to think of the last time Jim said anything of real interest....nope, can't remember.
	Report Comment Bullhead, Nicut (10/9/2009 11:33:01 AM) Charley, the NPP has been given to politicians before.
	Report Comment mamafrog, (10/9/2009 11:33:46 AM) Well Inhofe seems to have a new picture - guess the new president is making him feel old. I have seen him walking down the street in parades - he does not look like this picture.
	Report Comment Bullhead, Nicut (10/9/2009 11:36:32 AM) mama, looks like the ole chap had some botox.. or perhaps an air brushing of this photo. They should have made his top lip larger.. it's showing his forked tongue. heh
	Report Comment GARFIELD, TULSA (10/9/2009 11:39:49 AM) It's a proud day for all Americans!! What a great honor!! You're doing a good job, President Obama!!
	Report Comment mgsooner, (10/9/2009 11:45:03 AM) Is there a Nobel Prize for Stupidity? If so, Inhofe needs a trophy case.
	Report Comment Massey, Tulsa (10/9/2009 11:47:43 AM) I am astonished at this choice. Clearly the Norwegian committee is making a political statement with this decision as it obviously has nothing to do with actual accomplishment. Shame on them. How sad for whatever worthy recipient was cheated out of a prestigious award this year.
	Report Comment HitAnyKey, Tulsa (10/9/2009 11:47:55 AM) Who knew there was a prize for crippling our country's defenses?
	Report Comment Guillermo, (10/9/2009 11:50:24 AM) What a strooge. Oklahoma the time has come for new representation. We deserve better than a voice that is full of hot air.
	Report Comment cowboyneok, Tulsa (10/9/2009 11:52:49 AM) Why do Republicans hate America? First the GOP leaders root against us for getting the Olympics and now they are furious Obama gets Nobel Peace Prize? Rooting against America... nice... What next?!!! Hoping we get attacked again by Osama bin Laden because they diverted us from the real war on terror in Afghanistan via Halliburton's Iraq War? By the way, the Obama admin has now kept us safe longer than the Bu$hco. Admin kept us safe. For all that noise and yammering about, "Bu$h kept us safe!!!" He only kept us safe from his inauguration until September 11th. Every day after this past September 11th, the Obama Admin has kept us safe LONGER than Bu$hco. I'm not crazy about everything the Obama Admin has done because all politician's at that level are compromised by money, but I'm not going to bad mouth him because he won the Nobel Peace prize. I'm sick of all the Republican hating America stuff.
	Report Comment Skits Milloy, Tulsa (10/9/2009 11:55:45 AM) "Hi, I'm Jimmy Inhofe. I know that a lot of people would agree that perhaps President Obama did not deserve this honor. But in the spirit of my state and my reputation in the US Senate I want to take the time to find the stupidest, most embarrassing way to voice my disapproval." Grow some eyebrows Jimmy. They might mistake you for a beauty queen.
	Report Comment mgsooner, (10/9/2009 11:56:43 AM) I find it incredibly amusing that the same people that rip Obama for his "out of control spending" are the same ones that rip him for cancelling ludicrously expensive and for the most part worthless pork barrel projects like the F-22. Oh how I love irony.
	Report Comment gunsinthesky, ba (10/9/2009 11:57:27 AM) Bush's and Inhofe's "Your either with us or against us" approach to foreign "diplomacy" has failed. Bush's and Inhofe's doctrine of preemption has failed. Bush's and Inhofe's two wars have failed. Inhofe is too stupid to get this...worse yet, Okie conservatives still vote for this yahoo.
	Report Comment okierose, Tulsa County (10/9/2009 11:59:18 AM) cowboyneok: This country is safe BECAUSE of the Bush policies, laws, mandates, and everything else. Obummer has done nothing himself to protect this country. I feel less safe with him and his 4 apology tours. The Nobel Pease prize should be earned by deeds, not speeches.
	Report Comment gunsinthesky, ba (10/9/2009 12:02:12 PM) This country is safe BECAUSE of the Bush policies, laws, mandates, and everything else. ================== uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... OK, you got me...has to be a joke
	Report Comment Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (10/9/2009 12:05:23 PM) Well, at least now we have a REASON for why he was given the Nobel. I bet the Chinese dissident and the Afghan women's rights activist who lost out to him were like: w t f? What this all really means is that the Nobel committee has officially become a political joke. It lost most of it's credibility with the Al Gore debacle. Whatever it had left, it lost with this moronic move. If only "the One" could bring peace to the streets of his precious Chicago. THEN you could give him the peace prize.
	Report Comment paprika, teahas (10/9/2009 12:05:29 PM) Nice math cowboy, TPS? OSU?
	Report Comment Okie1948, Tulsa (10/9/2009 12:05:36 PM) What has Obama done to deserve it? Absolutely nothing. I've never heard of giving an award to someone for what they're going to do in the future. "So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate. The award appears to be a slap at President George W. Bush from a committee that harshly criticized him for his military action in the wake of the 9-11 terror attacks. That's also why they gave it to Carter in 2002. And why Al Gore received it in 2007 as a slap at Bush because he didn't support Gore's global warming hysteria.
	Report Comment Well I BDam, (10/9/2009 12:06:24 PM) Inhofe is a HATER! When don't here from this guy unless there is positive news about President Obama. When is this old scum-bag going to do something for his own state instead of worrying about Defense cuts, when we are likely to prevent more attacks just from ordinary citizens being alert and notifing authoritys with a cell phone.
	Report Comment true2form, Grand Lake (10/9/2009 12:10:40 PM) As the President said in his comments this morning,"This award must be shared by everyone who strives for justice and dignity." So much for the Senator getting a piece!
	Report Comment Whoknew?, Tulsa (10/9/2009 12:13:02 PM) Is Jimmy EVER going to be voted out???? I'm doing all I know.
	Report Comment gunsinthesky, ba (10/9/2009 12:13:41 PM) What has Obama done to deserve it? ===== ummmm...let's see... Ending the Bush Doctrine has made the world a more peaceful place. Perhaps you don't get how not having a policy of war STARTING is a major change on the world peace stage. ...the obvious is missed by the Okie conservative once again.

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