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European Union wins Nobel Peace Prize
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament President Martin Schulz pose with the Nobel diploma during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at the Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 2012.
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It’s been a day of celebration and backslapping in Oslo, Norway. European leaders including the presidents of France and Germany have been congratulating each other and their predecessors for receiving an unexpected honor: the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. The prize was awarded to the European Union for helping to create more 60 years of peace in a once war-torn continent.
At today’s ceremony, Thorbjoern Jagland -- chairman of the Nobel Committee -- heaped praise on Europe and the EU.
“What this continent has achieved is truly fantastic,” said Jagland. “From being a continent of war to becoming a continent of peace. In this process, the European Union has figured most prominently. It therefore deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.”
No one agreed more readily than Herman Van Rompuy. As the president of the European Council, he’s one of the EU’s three separate presidents. All were on hand in Oslo today to receive what Van Rompuy called this “richly deserved award.” He said that nobody can deny that the European Union is the main driver for peace in Europe.
Nobody, perhaps, except Nigel Farage and his many fellow euro-skeptics in Britain. Farage is the leader of the U.K. Independence Party and an unremitting critic of European monetary union; he believes that by yoking 17 different economies into the one currency union the EU has not promoted peace.
“The eurozone has divided Europe north to south,” says Farage. “And it’s increasing, growing enmities and violence on the street. We are headed in a very bad and dangerous direction.”
Farage applauds the EU pledge to spend the $1.2 million prize money on projects helping children caught up in conflicts. But he still deplores the award.
Many Norwegians may also have their doubts. The country that’s just apparently paid extravagant homage to the European Union has itself steadfastly refused to join.
Using a Brit reporter to cover Europe proves again and again a very poor choice. A reporter that filled your program with the jubelee of an old non-sense queen, now spits on the EU Nobel prize by asking the opinion to a Brit nazi... Why did not he ask the opinion of average Europeans? Why is he so anti-European? Why does he puts his nationalism before good reporting?
The supposed superiority of Britons has been so far proven only by their enormous debt and incapacity to cope with it!
Poor choice my friends, poor choice! Get rid of this nationalism or get rid of the reporter
I have been a Marketplace listener for years and was really looking for a meaningful story on the EU Nobel Peace Prize, maybe something recalling that nearly 25% of the population in Europe died in war between 1914 and 1945. 6 million Jews, gays and Seventh Day Adventists and mentally deficient people were especially victimized in extermination camps by an organized government policy. Cities were levelled, millions burned to death in the holocaust fires that consumed Dresden. What were the chances, given history, that the nations which committed so many attrocities against each other would be able to form a durable peace for 60 years? Probably zero. What does Marketplace offer us, some more snarky anti-EU comments by Stepen Beard and even worse comments from some Euro sceptic Brit. Go to Flanders Field or stand on the Beaches of Normandy and ask yourself if recognition of an imperfect, but functional and durable organization is not worth some global recognition for a job well done. Not one EU member has taken up arms against its neighbor after joining the EU. The Problems in the Balkans are now being solved as those nations perpare themselves to join the EU. I am very disappointed that once again London based opinions of EU are used to represent the reality of the EU. You need better sources when reporting on Europe in general. A very disapppointing report.
How many legs does a donkey have if you call a tail a leg? No matter what you call a tail, a donkey only has four legs. (Riddle attributed to Abraham Lincoln.) Defining peace in Europe as absence of war between the so-called great powers does not mean there was peace. In announcing the prize, Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said that the EU has been crucial in transforming Europe “from a continent of wars to a continent of peace.” Since when is the former Yugoslavia not on that continent?
It is fairly obvious the the EU has not succeeded too well up to this point. But on the other hand it is a bit too early to pass judgement one way or the other. Perhaps the Nobel committee wanted to quickly give the award before the EU dies (since they would not then be eligible). The amazing thing is how hubristic the EU officials are about getting this prize; definitely no humility among the politicians accepting it.
