It all seemed very strange back in October 2009 when the Nobel Prize Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Barack Obama. It was ironic to hear the committee’s arguments that Obama received the prestigious award for “his efforts to strengthen diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” The chairman of the award committee explained his choice, even though Obama had not yet had a significant achievement, as a way increase support for President Obama’s efforts.
Obama did not bring peace. He has brought war, sorrow and tears to generations. His policy assumptions – to essentially surrender to extremists have proven disastrous. Who knows how many people were killed because of his administration’s policies? It is no wonder that the chairman of the award committee said in 2015 that he regretted awarding President Obama the award.
Unlike Obama, last week we were informed that President Donald Trump had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by a Norwegian MP, thanks to the peace Trump has negotiated between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. I am sure there are a lot of leftists throughout the world who do not approve of this nomination. They do not understand how Trump is still serving as President, and for them, his nomination is a nightmare come true. These same people see Trump as a warmonger and a man who has made the world, and especially the United States, a much more horrible and dangerous place. The only suitable question is: “Really?!”
Objectively, it is hard not to appreciate Trump’s work because he is not only responsible for that one peace agreement but is responsible for two other peace agreements: 1) between Israel and the UAE 2) Israel and Bahrain and 3) a normalisation agreement between Serbia and Kosovo. Not only that, a year ago, Trump proposed a peace plan – the Deal of the Century – that tries to creatively resolve the decade-long, bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He also spends days and nights, as does his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, attempting to bring peace between Israel and Sudan. Additionally, on the East Asian front, Trump tried a different and creative approach to North Korea. It is important to note: all the countries I mentioned were involved in active hostilities. They have all changed their attitude – albeit not completely.
In a total of 4 years it would not be unreasonable to say: today’s world, when it comes to war and conflict, is better than it was before. The President of the United States has made a significant contribution to this.
I tried to find a statesman in the past three generations who was responsible for achieving three peace accords or agreements that completely changed the state of the war in any region, but simply there is not a single example.
However, Trump is not alone in his efforts. The award must be received by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Monarch Muhammad bin Zayed. These two leaders have taken far-reaching steps to lead their countries towards peace. Equally important, they are both leading the Middle East along a new path – one that is very different to where we have gone in the past. They are turning the region from one of hostility into one of peace. Especially, as we face the extraordinary challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, cooperation is of immense importance.
Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to these leaders will also send a very important message to the world: it is better for you to be on the side of peace-makers like Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and not on the side of warmongers like Iran.
While unconventional, Trump’s actions have brought success and peace, and should be recognised for his historic achievements – much like those historic leaders that have received the Nobel Peace Prize before him. After all, if Obama can win based on rhetoric, how much more deserving is his successor – a President who has achieved peace rather than just talked about it?