Farewell to arms? Not yet… by Barack Obama

Nobel peace prize going to Barack Obama attracted much criticism, but it was his speech at the award function which came as a blow on the face for all those who expected some kind of peace miracle from him. “We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth: we will not eradicate violent conflicts in our lifetimes,” Mr. Obama said addressing the paradox of receiving an award for peace as commander in chief of a nation that is escalating the war in Afghanistan as it continues to fight in Iraq. “There will be times when nations — acting individually or in concert — will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.” A mix of realism and idealism is what his speech has been called by the press.
His speech simply reiterated the stand carried out by his predecessors of US being out for charity trying to save the world. “Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this,” Mr. Obama said. “The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms.” It is out of question if American help is needed in Afghanistan for restoring the democracy it has been hugely responsible in removing. Mr. Obama called for more robust international sanctions against nations like Iran and North Korea that defy demands for them to curtail their nuclear programs. However, he did not say a word on how US money is helping Pakistan build up terror infrastructure, of the help Taliban received from the country in post Soviet attack days.
Quoting Kennedy, Mr Obama stressed upon “not a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions.” It is arguable though how armed offensives, evading sovereignty of other countries help in the evolution of “human institutions.” The democratic heaven US claims to be has been presented as the ideal of democracy, however it is yet to see how much idealism this Nobel laurel can seed in the values of his own countries foreign policies. His speech to some extent made it clear that US will be what it has been over decades, the self proclaimed custodian of democracy. The way forward or the difference in approach is however clouded by much of idealism only to be washed out gradually with the realities. For now, the message is clear, the war is to continue, and the songs of peace will be sung only at safe havens like the Oslo stage where he gave his speech, or in his home land, the democratic ideal.