President Obama has become the latest figure to add his name to an impressive list of laureates, which includes; Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, and Kofi Annan.
Having promised so much in the interest of international peace, this undoubtedly impressed the judges in Oslo, which could materialise into a major vote of confidence as he prepares to enter his second year as President.
Many noises emerged from the ever-critical Republican party, who earlier in the week were celebrating that the President had failed to secure the 2016 Olympic Games for his home town of Chicago, and yet were unexpectedly brought back down to earth with a considerable bump upon hearing about Obama's dramatic reversal in fortunes.
Obama 'surprised' and 'humbled'
Upon hearing the news, a surprised and humbled Obama said to the Associated Press:
"Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations,"
"To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honoured by this prize."
The President also revealed that he will donate the $1.4 million that comes with the award to charity.
Republican Hostility
There is a general feeling among the opposition however, that society has yet to see any real substance from Obama's presidency, with a consensus that the aims in his manifesto could be seen as a method of propelling him firmly into the limelight.
Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh informed Politico by e-mail: "This fully exposes the illusion that is Barack Obama.
He continued: "And with this 'award' the elites of the world are urging Obama, THE MAN OF PEACE, to not do the surge in Afghanistan, not take action against Iran and its nuclear program and to basically continue his intentions to emasculate the United States... They love a weakened, neutered U.S and this is their way of promoting that concept. I think God has a great sense of humor, too."
Important Year For Obama
Next year will certainly be a test of the President's ability to please the public. He has already stated that he is working tirelessly to end the war in Iraq, and has plans in place to increase the number of ground troops in Afghanistan, to bring about peace and stability.
One thing is for certain; every move he makes will be scrutinised in the next year as the President embarks on a perilous, political programme.
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