European Union wins Nobel Peace Prize

[opebo]

I approve of this prize. The EU was a great organization which helped bring peace to Europe till 2008.

Agent of neoliberal oppression no?

[Vosem]

I approve of this prize. The EU was a great organization which helped bring peace to Europe till 2008.

Agent of neoliberal oppression no?

When you put it that way I want to support it

But, seriously, after giving out serious awards 2010-11 the Nobel Peace Prize has returned to being a joke.

[Beet]

This reminds me of when TIME Magazine named me Person of the Year

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Wait, what?

I thought it was a prize for individuals, not organizations.

Let's see...

Institute of International Law (1904)
Permanent International Peace Bureau (1910)
International Committee of the Red Cross (1917, 1944, 1963)
Nansen International Office for Refugees (1938)
Friends Service Council and American Friends Service Committee (1947)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (1954, 1981)
League of Red Cross Societies (1963)
UNICEF (1967)
international Labour Organization (1969)
Amnesty International (1977)
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (1985)
United Nations Peace-Keeping Forces (1988)
Pugwash (1995)
International Campaign to Ban Landmines (1997)
Doctors Without Borders (1999)
United Nations (2001)
International Atomic Energy Agency (2005)
Grameen Bank (2006)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007)

Nothing unusual

[2952-0-0]

Who says Norwegians have no humor?

[SPQR]

I am still waiting for a coherent answer on why this is a "complete joke".
The faltering (to be generous) economy of the last years, which is OBVIOUSLY a great problem that needs permanent solutions in order to save the EU's future,does NOT cancel the 60 years of peace it has guaranteed in Europe.

Whoever thinks that this is not that big a deal better go read a history book. Or maybe ask one of his European grandparents.

[Gustaf]

I am still waiting for a coherent answer on why this is a "complete joke".
The faltering (to be generous) economy of the last years, which is OBVIOUSLY a great problem that needs permanent solutions in order to save the EU's future,does NOT cancel the 60 years of peace it has guaranteed in Europe.

Whoever thinks that this is not that big a deal better go read a history book. Or maybe ask one of his European grandparents.

Eh. You're assuming that peace in Europe is due to the EU and that had the EU not existed we'd be at war.

That is, basically, ridiculous. The EU keeps claiming the credit for peace in Europe but there is very little logic behind it.

It's a widely known "law" of political science that democratic countries don't go to war with each other, even if they don't have a political union. In fact, the vast majority of wars in the modern world occur precisely within political entities that people don't want to belong to. There is essentially no foundation for the idea that creating a political union riddles with corruption and disastrous policies is a recipe for peace.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I am still waiting for a coherent answer on why this is a "complete joke".
The faltering (to be generous) economy of the last years, which is OBVIOUSLY a great problem that needs permanent solutions in order to save the EU's future,does NOT cancel the 60 years of peace it has guaranteed in Europe.

Whoever thinks that this is not that big a deal better go read a history book. Or maybe ask one of his European grandparents.

Eh. You're assuming that peace in Europe is due to the EU and that had the EU not existed we'd be at war.

That is, basically, ridiculous. The EU keeps claiming the credit for peace in Europe but there is very little logic behind it.

It's a widely known "law" of political science that democratic countries don't go to war with each other, even if they don't have a political union. In fact, the vast majority of wars in the modern world occur precisely within political entities that people don't want to belong to. There is essentially no foundation for the idea that creating a political union riddles with corruption and disastrous policies is a recipe for peace.

The best counterexample I could come up with to that "law" was Peru and Ecaudor in 1995.

[minionofmidas]

I wonder how the Greeks feel about it, especially as the European Union's austerity push has fatally wounded Greek democracy and caused open rioting in the streets.

The last 39 years is the longest time Greece has gone without wars, coups or civil wars since Greece was founded in 1822.

You must be referring to the 38 years before last year.

[Silent Hunter]

I wonder how the Greeks feel about it, especially as the European Union's austerity push has fatally wounded Greek democracy and caused open rioting in the streets.

The last 39 years is the longest time Greece has gone without wars, coups or civil wars since Greece was founded in 1822.

You must be referring to the 38 years before last year.

Open rioting is not a civil war. A thousand people have to die violently before you can call it that.

[minionofmidas]

I was referring to the EU-sponsored coup d'etat...

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I am still waiting for a coherent answer on why this is a "complete joke".
The faltering (to be generous) economy of the last years, which is OBVIOUSLY a great problem that needs permanent solutions in order to save the EU's future,does NOT cancel the 60 years of peace it has guaranteed in Europe.

Whoever thinks that this is not that big a deal better go read a history book. Or maybe ask one of his European grandparents.

Eh. You're assuming that peace in Europe is due to the EU and that had the EU not existed we'd be at war.

That is, basically, ridiculous. The EU keeps claiming the credit for peace in Europe but there is very little logic behind it.

It's a widely known "law" of political science that democratic countries don't go to war with each other, even if they don't have a political union. In fact, the vast majority of wars in the modern world occur precisely within political entities that people don't want to belong to. There is essentially no foundation for the idea that creating a political union riddles with corruption and disastrous policies is a recipe for peace.

Ah political science "laws" - laws until they are otherwise falsified.

[Lief 🗽]

This decision makes a lot of sense, but it's obviously in very poor taste to award it now of all times.

[freefair]

Joke Prize.

Well it seems slightly more warranted than giving it to Barack Obama.

That's absurd!  At least he was a 'person'.  This is just an enormous octopus of neoliberal oppression.

I wouldn't say it was Neoliberal or right wing. If it was, the right wing of the UK Conservatives, and Norwegian Progress Party, would support it a lot more than they do, and Labour would oppose it. It's basically militantly centrist.  A lot on the Old left oppose(d) it too. It keeps governments from being totally free market, but also socialist.
Odd award though.

[ingemann]

I wonder how the Greeks feel about it, especially as the European Union's austerity push has fatally wounded Greek democracy and caused open rioting in the streets.

The last 39 years is the longest time Greece has gone without wars, coups or civil wars since Greece was founded in 1822.

You must be referring to the 38 years before last year.

I stubbed my toe, what a genocide. Maybe we should keep the hyperbole a little down, if this had been a coup, most Greek politicians would be in prison right now, the Greek constitution would have been shredded and a lot more reforms would have been implemented.

[Vosem]

I am still waiting for a coherent answer on why this is a "complete joke".
The faltering (to be generous) economy of the last years, which is OBVIOUSLY a great problem that needs permanent solutions in order to save the EU's future,does NOT cancel the 60 years of peace it has guaranteed in Europe.

Whoever thinks that this is not that big a deal better go read a history book. Or maybe ask one of his European grandparents.

In that context it still makes more sense to give the Prize to NATO, not the EU.

I was referring to the EU-sponsored coup d'etat...

Ah. I'm sure Occupy Wall Street resisted that one.

[Franzl]

I am still waiting for a coherent answer on why this is a "complete joke".
The faltering (to be generous) economy of the last years, which is OBVIOUSLY a great problem that needs permanent solutions in order to save the EU's future,does NOT cancel the 60 years of peace it has guaranteed in Europe.

Whoever thinks that this is not that big a deal better go read a history book. Or maybe ask one of his European grandparents.

In that context it still makes more sense to give the Prize to NATO, not the EU.

I was referring to the EU-sponsored coup d'etat...

Ah. I'm sure Occupy Wall Street resisted that one.

NATO..the Nobel Peace Prize? What?

[Silent Hunter]

NATO..the Nobel Peace Prize? What?

For deterring a Soviet invasion, apparently.

[Frodo]

Wait. Does their definition of the EU include the former European Economic Community? Even if not, I can see their reason for the EU. They have brought countries that were at war together. Also, remember that this prize is not just for actions in 2011-12.

EDIT: After looking at the award, it says "for SIX DECADES contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe" This means it counts the European Economic Community, and the European Coal and Steel Community. Therefore, I think it is not a bad choice.

I agree -I think the prize is well earned.  We haven't seen another war erupt on this formerly blood-soaked continent in the member countries. 

[Vosem]

NATO..the Nobel Peace Prize? What?

For deterring a Soviet invasion, apparently.

For preventing Western European countries from going to war with each other (that seems what the Peace Prize people are crediting the EU with doing).

[Franzl]

NATO..the Nobel Peace Prize? What?

For deterring a Soviet invasion, apparently.

For preventing Western European countries from going to war with each other (that seems what the Peace Prize people are crediting the EU with doing).

lol

[Vosem]

NATO..the Nobel Peace Prize? What?

For deterring a Soviet invasion, apparently.

For preventing Western European countries from going to war with each other (that seems what the Peace Prize people are crediting the EU with doing).

lol

Well, obviously cultural shifts in the aftermath of WW2 had the most to do with it, but if you're going to give a single organization credit NATO is a much better candidate than the EU.

[Velasco]

This decision makes a lot of sense, but it's obviously in very poor taste to award it now of all times.

Maybe they want to revive the dying Europeism (thanks Merkel, the Troika and many others for this).

[Associate Justice PiT]

     The Nobel Peace Prize is meaningless garbage. Nothing new here.

[Insula Dei]

Not quite uncomparable to 'You' being the 'TIME Person of the Year', but certainly more laudible.