On October 9, President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” This came as a sur- prise, largely because Obama is only one year into his first term. So did he deserve the highly prestigious award? I don’t think so. That is, I don’t think he deserves it yet, due to the enormity of the prize and the Obama’s lack of achievements so far.

Some names on the list of past Nobel Laureates include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King, Jr. These people are widely known and respected for their immense contributions towards a peaceful society, not for their “extraordinary efforts” to make things better. Not only did they have a plan for what they were going to do, they actually carried it out. So far, Obama has given his intentions for his Presidency, but he has not accomplished any significant peace-oriented efforts. He said he intends to withdraw US troops from the Middle East, but for now they remain there. He intends to end the Arab-Israeli conflict, but fighting continues in Israel and Palestine. The committee recognized Obama’s efforts to create a world without nuclear weapons, but so far no agreements have been reached with Iran or North Korea, two nations who are seen as dangerous aggressors in the race for nuclear weaponry.

President Obama says he will take the award as a “call to action” that will help him in future diplomacy efforts. Hopefully, President Obama is able to carry out his plans and become a worthy recipient as he continues his term, but for now I see no real reason to grant him such a high honor on such a meager basis.