Bradley Manning nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

[Uzor]

A total of 231 nominees are up for the Nobel Peace Prize this year, the Nobel Institute said on Monday, with Bill Clinton, Helmut Kohl, the EU and US soldier and WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning known to be on the list.

"As always, there are the usual 'nominees' and some newcomers, some famous and some unknowns, hailing from the four corners of the world," the head of the Nobel Institute, Geir Lundestad, told AFP.
With 188 individuals and 43 organisations, the number of candidates comes close to last year's record of 241, when the award went to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee, and Yemeni "Arab Spring" activist Tawakkol Karman.
Thousands of people are eligible to submit nominations, including members of parliaments and governments worldwide, university professors, past laureates and members of several international institutes, who had until February 1 to propose candidates.
The Nobel Institute keeps the names of nominees secret for 50 years, but those who are entitled to nominate are allowed to reveal the name of the person or organisation they have proposed.
Among the people known to have been nominated for this year's prize are former US president Bill Clinton, ex-German chancellor Helmut Kohl who led his country's reunification process, and Ukraine's ex-premier and now jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

While it's unlikely he will win, I find it interesting they even nominated him. What are your feelings on the subject? It has the potential for a political shitstorm if he would win, don't you think?

[pohibaba]

I don't think that this means much at all. Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and Castro have all been nominees before. According to Nobel Prize nominating rules, any "professor of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology" and any judge or national legislator in any country, among others, can nominate anyone for a Nobel Peace Prize.

[Correction]

First post Godwin'd

Guy deserves a medal for what he did. Probably not a peace prize but ever since they gave one to Obama it's hard to take it very seriously so why the fuck not lol.

[archibaldcrane]

Hmmm, I didn't realize the whole story about Bradley Manning involved his homosexuality and gender identity confusion. He said his biggest fear in getting caught for releasing this stuff is that his picture would be plastered around the world as a boy (instead of a girl, as he felt he was).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Manning

[Kuya]

He's certainly more deserving than Obama, that's for damn sure.

[Blarg]

He's certainly more deserving than Obama, that's for damn sure.

Uhh what? I think when obama ended all wars/violence worldwide it was pretty deserving

[RKenshin]

He's certainly more deserving than Obama, that's for damn sure.

Isn't it obvious that noble piece prize was more symbolic than anything?

I don't have any doubts the same exact thing would have happened if Hilary won in 2008, or even Cain.

[Kuya]

Isn't it obvious that noble piece prize was more symbolic than anything?

I don't have any doubts the same exact thing would have happened if Hilary won in 2008, or even Cain.

Bradley Manning is more deserving of a symbolic award than Obama, or Hillary/McCain in your hypothetical situation.

[WahiGuard]

Hmmm, I didn't realize the whole story about Bradley Manning involved his homosexuality and gender identity confusion. He said his biggest fear in getting caught for releasing this stuff is that his picture would be plastered around the world as a boy (instead of a girl, as he felt he was).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Manning

Not that big of a deal, but I think his defense is sort of based around his sexuality. Morally they don`t want to use it but they`re trying to use everything they have.

[Gryffes]

And anyone is surprised by this? I thought it would happen shortly 1-2 months after the original leaks and his identity came out.

The nobel committee has a history of shit stirring awards ( usually reasonable awards though ) and it really wouldn't surprise me if he won.

[Correction]

Isn't it obvious that noble piece prize was more symbolic than anything?

All such awards are purely symbolic aren't they? They money can't mean a whole lot or make much of a difference.

Or are you saying they're awarded based on the symbolic value of a person rather than their measurable achievements? Because that's definitely true for Obama, but not for everyone who's been awarded.

[Kerberoz]

Why should he be rewarded for being too stupid to conceal his identity?

[Kuya]

What?

[Stumblingdrunk]

What?

Because the peace prize is awarded for tech savvy

[RKenshin]

Bradley Manning is more deserving of a symbolic award than Obama, or Hillary/McCain in your hypothetical situation.

I'm not debating who deserves it more.

And I wasn't referring to McCain; I was referring to Herman Cain.

You don't see the significance of being the first black (and/or female) president in a major country that didn't even grant them the same rights less than 50 years ago? Of course that is what I'm referencing; which would've held true whether it was Obama, Herman Cain, or Hilary Clinton that won in 2008 in my 'hypothetical situation.'

All such awards are purely symbolic aren't they? They money can't mean a whole lot or make much of a difference.

Or are you saying they're awarded based on the symbolic value of a person rather than their measurable achievements? Because that's definitely true for Obama, but not for everyone who's been awarded.

Symbolic as in, recognizing a significant milestone in human rights and not just Obama himself; more what he stands for.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded for work in a wide range of fields including advocacy of human rights, mediation of international conflicts, and arms control.

The prize wasn't awarded because "Obama was da man", or for any accomplishment unique to only him. It was because of what his presidency symbolized for human rights in our nation (and the world).

If you think that was wrong, or undeserved, that's all fine and dandy. But that doesn't change why the award was presented.

[Kuya]

I'm not debating who deserves it more.

And I wasn't referring to McCain; I was referring to Herman Cain.

You don't see the significance of being the first black (and/or female) president in a major country that didn't even grant them the same rights less than 50 years ago? Of course that is what I'm referencing; which would've held true whether it was Obama, Herman Cain, or Hilary Clinton that won in 2008 in my 'hypothetical situation.'


Symbolic as in, recognizing a significant milestone in human rights and not just Obama himself; more what he stands for.

The prize wasn't awarded because "Obama was da man", or for any accomplishment unique to only him. It was because of what his presidency symbolized for human rights in our nation (and the world).

If you think that was wrong, or undeserved, that's all fine and dandy. But that doesn't change why the award was presented.

Yea, that's nice.

[Elvis]

Ghandi was a tard and got shot, hence he wasn't nominated, so kerb's logic checks out.

You gotta wear a bullet proof vest or have tried Linux like many others in college

[archibaldcrane]

If you think that was wrong, or undeserved, that's all fine and dandy. But that doesn't change why the award was presented.

Um

he got the award for his calls for diplomacy and disarmament in contrast to GWB's foreign policy, not for being the first black president

his race or pioneer status or whatever was not given as a reason at all

[Howie Roary]

Um
his race or pioneer status or whatever was not given as a reason at all

why the hell not?

[archibaldcrane]

why the hell not?

because that has little to do with making the world more peaceful?

do people really think Obama got the nobel peace prize for being the first black president?