China’s Ambassador met with Norwegian officials today to express his government’s outrage at the Nobel Peace Prize commission’s decision to award this year’s prize to Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese dissident who is currently in prison. Norway responded that its government doesn’t get to decide who wins the prize.
Liu is currently in the first year of his 11 year prison sentence for “inciting subversion of state power.” A number of international officials have issued new calls for his release in light of the prize.
But his victory has also been controversial, as Liu is said to have spoken out in favor of centuries of colonialism to bring China to the same level of development as Hong Kong. This has prompted his opponents to claim his prize is part of an attempt to damage Chinese independence.
But of course a number of winners of the Nobel Peace Prizes have been controversial, not the least of which being last year’s winner, US President Barack Obama, who won the prize ostensibly for his “diplomatic efforts” despite being involved in two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and spending virtually the whole year threatening to start a third major war in Iran.
Is OK, the World is still outraged by Assassin in Chief receiving it last year, Nobel Presidium has lost any credibility as it had been transformed into just another weapon in the arsenal of Anglo-American Terrorist Alliance.
these so called peace prize are some sorte of sick joke often given to butchers as in the case of obama. this sinister group in norway try to give them selfs a fig leaf of cover by giving out prizes to top scientists.
This is a strange piece for AW.C even though it is news. A strict anti-interventionist stance, and the stricter the better, is to mind our own business unless the US is attacked. That means that the "human rights" problems in China, real ones to be sure but lessening even as our own are worsening, are none of the business of the US government. And does it not make one suspicious that the same group which awarded the prize to Obama gave it to this fellow? The Peace Prize is in the hands of the Norwegian Parliament, and so it is very political, an instrument of the "liberal," "do-gooders" of the West.
When the US Empire feels the need to confront China militarily, as is all too likely, then we will be called to arms in the name of "human rights." Such a conflict can only be a disaster for all of humanity. And the stage is being set now. Be wary. Be very wary.
John V. Walsh
Has he invaded another country? No.
Has he argued to keep innocent people in prison forever? No.
Has he tried to punish and imprison anyone for telling the truth? No.
Has he continued and expanded the senseless slaughter of war into any other countries or continents?
NO! He has not. None of it.
Take that damn prize away. Clearly there's been a mistake. Standards have changed. The Nobel isn't supposed to go to guys like him anymore.
How odd. Last year we get a warmonger and a liar and this year someone in prison. The Nobel pendulum does seem to swing erratic.
Never mind secret prisons,rendition,torture,Gitmo,habeas corpus,preventive wars,Bradley Manning.
BTW,the committee members are appointed by the government. It consists of former members of the parliament. Most likely they (the nobel committe members) voted for the NATO bombing in Kosovo and the Afghanistan invasion.That explains the Gore,Artissari and Obama prizes.
Awol,Norway
You're mostly correct, but the committee is appointed by the Parliament, not the cabinet. Doesn't make much difference. One of the committee members, Ågot Valle, was in fact one of only three MPs that opposed the Kosovo war, and she also opposed the Afghanistan invasion. The other four were reliably hawkish though.
By the way, Liu Xiaobo is a warmonger himself:
http://chinastudygroup.net/2010/10/another-war-mo…
He supported the US attack on Iraq, the "War on Terror" etc, even accusing hawkish presidential candidate John Kerry of "appeasement". Now, I don't think you should be thrown in jail for being a warmonger, but I don't see how he can qualify for a peace price either.