IAEA, ElBaradei awarded Nobel Peace Prize

The International Atomic Energy Agency and its head, Egyptian Mohammed ElBaradei, have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2005:

OSLO, Norway (AP) – Mohamed ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency won the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their drive to curb the spread of atomic weapons by using diplomacy to resolve standoffs with Iran and North Korea over their nuclear programs.

The Nobel Committee’s decision lent support to negotiations and inspections, not military action, as the best way to handle volatile nations. It also was seen as a message to the Bush administration, which invaded Iraq after claiming U.N. efforts to eradicate Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions had failed and which opposed ElBaradei’s appointment to another term.

The Nobel committee said ElBaradei and the IAEA should be recognized for addressing one of the greatest dangers facing the world.

Blogger Christopher Fotos of PostWatch echoed my very thoughts when he wrote, an hour or so ago, “Apparently you can get an ‘A’ for effort”.

According to this handy timeline during Mr. ElBaradei’s tenure at IAEA North Korea and Pakistan have developed nuclear weapons and Iran is on the brink. Job well done, guys! During the same period South Africa, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania, Argentina, Libya, Algeria, Yugoslavia, and Iraq have all abandoned nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons research for reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with the IAEA but everything to do with the changing geo-political situation and in one case, Iraq, war and another, Libya, fear.

History does not support the Nobel Prize Committee’s conclusions. So, the Committee now rewards aspiration rather than accomplishment.

Others commenting on the award include:

Bloggledygook who found the announcement excruciatingly funny (which it would be if it weren’t so sad).

Jack Kelly of Irish Pennants observes:

Apparently, the surest way to win it is to cravenly appease vicious mass murders. (There is no peace quite so peaceful as that of the grave.)

The Liquid List is overjoyed at the poking of a stick in the eye of the Bush Administration.

The Mahablog calls it “payback”.

Orrin Judd suggests he might use the award as increased leverage against Iran or North Korea.

Allen Guyton of Politechnical Institute calls it a “pre-emptive peace prize”.

Meryl Yourish, uh, isn’t happy.

Always on the look for new business opportunities, Jay Tea of Wizbang writes:

Sometimes, I wonder if the world would be a better place if every single winner of the Nobel Peace Prize were to be stuck in a rocket and blasted into deep space. And with each new winner, I have to say that I think that the tradeoff just might be worth it.

Looks like a job for Virgin Galactic! One-way trips.

Tom Maguire of JustOneMinute reminds us:

People will remember El Baradei from last October, when the WaPo suggested he might be trying to influence the US election. (OK, we had been screaming that as well, and let’s note the denial.)

Needless to say, for the Nobel Committe that was not a bug, it was a feature.

Jeff Goldstein of protein wisdom’s reaction to the announcement was, well, uniquely protein-wisdomian.

James Joyner of Outside the Beltway is dubious and offers an interesting list of prior recipients of the award.

Technorati tag: Nobel peace prize

7 comments… add one
  • The usual one way magical thinking you engage in.

    And you wonder why I lump you with the Right Bolshies.

  • Could you expand on that a little, please, lounsbury? My view is that I sincerely wish it were true that nuclear proliferation could be ended by diplomacy alone without either sanctions or force. The evidence appears to contradict that.

    I also believe that we shouldn’t be too quick in the use of force (which I think the Bush Administration has been). But that it should, ultimately, be an option.

    How am I wrong?

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