EU given the Nobel peace prize by the Norwegian Nobel committee

[Adar]

The EU is given the prize for uniting Germany and France in a peaceful relationship, bringing Southern Europe into democracy, breaking down the differences between east and west and uniting the European peoples. In more recent times they applaud the EU for organising peace conferences and how the EU have helped stabilize the former Yugoslavian nations with Croatia soon to join and Serbia as well as Montenegro being given candidate status.

They also mention fears for the difficulties facing the EU but consider it an important tool for peace and reconciliation and that the peace prize should be considered a strong voice in support for defending what we have gained and that extremism should be fought against.

Edit: In answers to journalists they also state that it should be considered an award for success. Not as a political move to support the Euro or encourage Norway to join the EU.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Actually... I think it's very fair. The EU has definitely forced us into peace when some people are clearly asking for a butt kicking.

[Adar]

Actually... I think it's very fair. The EU has definitely forced us into peace when some people are clearly asking for a butt kicking.

Not to mention that the Libyan war was fought outside of the EU agreement.

[Thorn777]

You can pay us in oil Norway. And now that you think us is so awesome why not join?

[The Dude]

I don't support the way to the EU is currently expanding and growing politically, I think we would've been better off as a smaller union of 7 or so nations that would eventually become a federation. That said, I think this is a fair award. What we have in Europe right now, regardless of whether or not it's the best way to go about things, is unique in our history. European nations have a history of waging war on one another and never before has there been a period this long in which we've been allies and worked together towards a common goal.

[Stavroforos]

Aye, the European nations are definitely as deserving of a Peace Prize as Obama.

[torongill]

Aye, the European nations are definitely as deserving of a Peace Prize as Obama.

Oh look, you managed to combine your hatred of Obama and Europe in a single sentence and still not make any sense.

IIRC this is the longest period of peace in Europe. Ever. Do you have any idea what does that mean?

[Condestável]

It's a deserved award in my opinion. The problem is because the economical crisis we are in, with all the problems attached to it, makes many people wonder why they gave the prize at this time, when there are so many doubts about the future of Europe and the EU.

[fkizz]

I think they picked the wrong time to do so. While EU politics force south countries into empoverishment, growing social unrest, a possible humanitarian crisis in Greece is in the making, etc, such a peace prize makes one wonder if the nobel comitee ran out of good candidates, if you also take the obama example.

nobel peace prizes aren't being well applied IMO.. first Obama and now this? Gotta go with Stravforos post.

Aye, the European nations are definitely as deserving of a Peace Prize as Obama.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Actually, it's South European countries that forced Southern European countries into poverty. It's EU policies preventing them from returning to a barter system.

[fkizz]

Actually, it's South European countries that forced Southern European countries into poverty. It's EU policies preventing them from returning to a barter system.

You have an over-simplified view of a non-simple complex problem. If the euro crisis was this easy to understand and diagnose, we would be over it already, do you realise that?

The austerity policies forced upon south countries are criticized by Economics nobel prize Paul Krugman who calls doing austerity "economical suicide".

In short we have a nice mess on our hands.

[removeduser_487563287433]

The austerity policies forced upon south countries

And, taking a step back here, why do you think they needed austerity measures?

[Visna]

It's easy to find things to disagree with in the EU, but in a European context what the EU has achieved in terms of peace is remarkable. Well deserved award imo.

[Éorl]

I think this prize is a farce - considering that countries like Germany where I live export modern weapon technologies into regions that are unstable or in a constant state of war. And the decision for these weapon sells have been sneaked through parliament.

Yes, in our German (unapproved by the people) constitution it says that no war should ever be started from German ground, but our politicians - those pieces of wrapped in human skin - deliver the means for war instead. What a bunch of s.

[Treize]

I think this prize is a farce - considering that countries like Germany where I live export modern weapon technologies into regions that are unstable or in a constant state of war. And the decision for these weapon sells have been sneaked through parliament.

Yes, in our German (unapproved by the people) constitution it says that no war should ever be started from German ground, but our politicians - those pieces of wrapped in human skin - deliver the means for war instead. What a bunch of s.

So what? Money baby! Besides, the German government is not willing to spend the money required to keep your top-of-the-line arms industry alive.

[Stavroforos]

The EU's policies towards the Southern European nations aren't really relevant to the Peace Prize.

[The Dude]

Eh if an unprecedented 70 years of peace on a continent whose history is mired in blood is not worthy of a peace award then I don't know what is. Europe literally went from armies of millions ravaging the continent, holocausts, rebellions and dictatorships to a peaceful union of nations overnight. That's never happened before, ever.

[Stavroforos]

Eh if an unprecedented 70 years of peace on a continent whose history is mired in blood is not worthy of a peace award then I don't know what is. Europe literally went from armies of millions ravaging the continent, holocausts, rebellions and dictatorships to a peaceful union of nations overnight. That's never happened before, ever.

Aye, we've only had one genocide and only about 10 cases of ethnic cleansing. A European record of peace!

[Visna]

Aye, we've only had one genocide and only about 10 cases of ethnic cleansing. A European record of peace!

In the EU? That's disturbing news. When has that occurred?

[Éorl]

I guess he's alluding to the yugoslawian civil war in the 90s. That's pretty uninformed, because this region wasn't part of the EU and in fact was only held together by Tito and being part (sort of) the Soviet hemisphere.

Once Tito and the Soviet Union were gone, everything broke apart there.