During his state visit to Washington, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated the US president Donald Trump al Nobel Peace Prizeadding that the candidacy “is deserved”. A news that, given the two political profiles, is not surprising much, but which arouses feelings between disdain and sarcasm. Although it is quite unlikely that the American president can win these prize, if this happened it would not be the first: so far, in fact, four presidents of the United States of America have been awarded the illustrious prize, three of which during the mandate and one subsequently:
- Theodore Roosevelt in 1906
- Woodrow Wilson in 1919
- Jimmy Carter in 2002 (after the end of the mandate)
- Barack Obama in 2009
The number is high and explains why American presidents have one position of power which allows them to condition international relations and, possibly, encourage the peaceful resolution of conflicts. It is also true, however, that the United States is a Militarist and imperialist country And over the years, more for military power than for pacifism have been highlighted. For this reason, the assignments of the Nobel Peace for Presidents are sometimes contested.
American presidents and the Nobel Peace Nobel
Four presidents of the United States were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It is a large number, given that from the institution of the prize, in 1901, at 2024 the winners were alone 111 individuals (including those who divided him with others) and 28 organizations. In addition, no other political office (president of other countries, head of international organizations, etc.) has received the same number of prizes.
The “primacy” of American presidents is explained for the position of power and visibility they enjoy. Often the Most powerful men in the world And, although it is discussed if they really have this “position” (according to many analysts, the leaders of autocratic countries such as China and Russia are more powerful), it is out of the question that they exercise one enormous influence. As a result, they have the opportunity to condition international relations and, if they want, facilitate the resolution of conflicts with peaceful means.
On the other hand, the United States are a strongly militarist country, which has been engaged over the years In numerous conflicts and military interventionsoften due to merely imperialist reasons or economic supremacy. For this reason, the assignments of the Nobel Peaces have not always been positively accepted by public opinion.
Theodore Roosevelt, 1906
The first president awarded the Nobel Peace was Theodore Roosevelt, in office from 1901 to 1909 (from do not confuse with Franklin Delano Rooseveltpresident from 1933 to 1945, known for the New Deal and for guiding the country during the Second World War). Theodore Roosevelt obtained the Nobel in 1906 because he had conducted mediation between Russia and Japanputting an end to the war that broke out the previous year. The official motivation said that the assignment was “for his role in ending the bloody conflict between two world powers, Japan and Russia”.
However, the president was known not as a man of peace, but as a soldier. Among other things, in 1898 he had participated in the War ispano-American on the island of Cuba, by commanding i Rough Riderscavalry volunteers, gaining great popularity. Even as president, Roosevelt was a Promoter of imperialism and the American interference in world affairs. Just think that, regarding Latin America, he explicitly declared, with the so -called corollary to Monroe’s doctrine, that the United States had the right to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries.
Woodrow Wilson, 1919
The second American president awarded the Nobel Peace was Thomas Woodrow Wilson, president from 1913 to 1921. Wilson obtained the Nobel in 1919 for promoting the foundation of the Nations society (Pretesignana of the current UN), aimed at peacefully resolving international contrasts.
The birth of the Nations Society was included in the 14 points, based on the right of peoples to self -determination and presented by the president to the Conference of Pariswhich was held at the end of the First World War to trace the new borders of the countries and define international scenarios. Wilson was a sincere pacifist, but he could not assert his principleswho met opponents both internationally and internal, to the point that the United States did not join the society of the nations they had promoted.
Jimmy Carter, 2002
The third American president awarded the Nobel was James Earl Carter, better known as Jimmy, President from 1977 to 1980. Carter, however, received the prize in 2002, not for the role as president, but for the next activity. In 1982, in fact, the now former president had founded the Carter Centera non -governmental and non -profit organization aimed at committing itself for the progress of democracy and human rights.
Over the years the Carter Center has carried out electoral monitoring, Research on human rights and other activities, working in more than 70 countries and obtaining very appreciable results. The Nobel was assigned with the following motivation: “For the tireless commitment to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to make democracy and human rights progress, and to promote economic and social development”
Barack Obama, 2009
The fourth American president awarded the Nobel Peace (third to receive it during the mandate) was Barack Obama, President from 2009 to 2017 And awarded the prize in the same 2009, only nine months after entering office. The official motivation said that the prize was given to him for “for his exceptional efforts to consolidate international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”.
However, the assignment was highly contested, because Obama received it when he had not had time to operate in favor of peace; The award was awarded more for what he could have done that for what he had done.
In any case, it is very questionable if Obama, after receiving the Nobel, really behaved like a promoter of peace, considering that he has ordered military interventions in sovereign countries, such as the one in Libya in 2011, and has the wars continued launched by its predecessors, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.
