The Nobel Peace Prize. Really?

It was announced today that President Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Really? Frankly this strikes me as a little odd. To the best of my knowledge, the Nobel prizes are meant to recognize outstanding accomplishments. The deadline for this years prize was February 1st, 2009. Not even a full two weeks after Mr. Obama took the oath of office. What exactly did he accomplish in those two weeks that put him ahead of the other 204 nominees? Apparently the Nobel Foundation has decided to start making awards based on vision, ideas and intentions instead of implementation and results. A slippery slope to be sure.

Disclaimer: This post is not, nor should it be construed to be derogatory towards President Obama. Nobody can be fairly judged or rewarded based on two weeks of work. A proper evaluation of an individuals impact on a global stage can simply not be made that quickly, no matter who you are.