Nobel Reax from W. Europe

This past summer saw the people of Iran take to the streets against brutal state violence and strain against the imposed borders set up by Iran's totalitarian regime, with the single purpose of being welcomed back into the world. Above all, the green tide in Iran, a youth- and blogger-driven wave, wanted normalized relations with the outside world. And the world wanted it too, supporting them as much as possible without undermining their cause, tugging and pulling them into the fold. After eight years of unilateral hegemony in the US, the international community is doing the same for America by awarding Obama the Nobel Peace Prize.

In France, the response to Obama's young presidency has been one of muted enthusiasm. People hope that his election will signal a move into modernity for the US, but realize it could just as well initiate a backlash. That seems to be the sentiment around the continent as well, with the Peace Prize in a sense cajoling and cautiously encouraging the US to step forward, to draw down its various wars in the Middle East, to provide equal rights for its gay citizens and health care for all its people.

These are all things that haven't happened yet, but there are concrete reasons for his winning the award, reasons that aren't readily apparent from within the US due to the fact that conditions on the ground, the everyday lives of people, haven't changed much in the past year. But the view from here, from western Europe, has seen a monumental shift since January. The world's richest and most innovative country has gone from being a dark, scared and violent place to turning on a light, opening the door, and greeting the world.

To understand why Obama won the Prize, you have to look at it from the perspective of those who awarded it to him. Since he took over, Obama has paid back the millions owed to the United Nations in dues and addressed them as equals, made an equally important speech in Cairo, addressed the Iranians directly on their New Year (perhaps even catalyzing the Green Revolution), scrapped plans for a Stars Wars defense shield in Eastern Europe, and reopened Israeli-Palestinian talks. This sea change in such a short amount of time is a really big deal to the world community. The world is undoubtedly a better place with an engaged United States, and the effects of the re-engagement of the past nine months and next four years will be seen magnified exponentially in years to come. That is why Obama won, and deserves, this prize.