Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to create the League of Nations. The United States did not join the League of Nations . This precursor to the United Nations was powerless to stop the Italian invasion of Abyssinia and the other events that led down the road to WW II.

Unlike the Nobel prizes in the sciences and the arts which are decided by peers in the field the Nobel Peace Prize is clearly political and always has been. To get a prize in literature you have to actually write something. To get one in science you have to actually produce research or a theory that is valuable or unique.

But the Peace Prize is often justified by hope and hope is Obama‘s middle name. But Woodrow Wilson actually had an organization to show for his efforts and it was given at the end of his term not the beginning.

Perhaps he should have been given the award for helping to bring WWI to an end by sending troops to Europe (toward the end of the war) and tilting the balance of military power toward the Allies. Perhaps General George Patton deserved a Peace Prize for driving the German Army back to Germany. Perhaps General Matthew Ridgway deserved a Peace Prize for fighting the Chinese and North Koreans toward a truce after Douglas MacArthur stumbled and was removed from command.

There are those who hope for peace and those who actually make it happen. It is clear who the Nobel Peace Prize committee prefers.

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