Obama's Nobel Peace Prize

While i admit that it seems odd that Obama was awarded the Peace Prize this year, as opposed to next, i find all the critic's complaints more than hilarious.

Obama has done nothing for peace?

• He has told Israel that they must address the peace issue and that continual settlement constructions must stop. He makes it clear that the Palestinians have a voice in this issue.
  
• He has admitted that the war in Iraq was wrong and is working to end it as soon as possible.
  
• He has admitted that the policies, procedures, and justifications used to keep Guantanamo open are wrong and vowed to close it as soon as possible.
  
• He has told Iran that, while they will not be allowed nuclear arms, we are open to talking to them.
  
• He has told our allies that the policy of "You're either with us or against us" is no longer US foreign policy.
  
• He has made it clear to the Muslim population that they are not an enemy, that we oppose only those who bear ill will towards the US.
  
• He has canceled the missle shield in Eastern Europe because it wouldn't solve the problem it was meant to solve and by doing so it improved relations with Russia.
  
• He has told the world that the US is not defined by unilateralism, and that peace depends on dialog between all that inhabit the planet.
  

Obama has made it clear to the world that the US understands it is one of the many countries in existence. That the US does not dictate policy to all other inhabitants of the world. He has also told the world that they can not look to the US to solve all of their problems. Like us, they must come to the table with open minds, a willingness to dialog, and a willingness to listen to opposing views. He has made it clear to all that peace will only come when everybody works together; the US can not enforce peace around the world at the barrel of a gun.

All of this goes a long, long way to increasing peace around the world. Whether you want to admit it or not, there are times when spoken words alone can go a long way to engendering peace. To say that Obama has done nothing is foolishness; nothing but.