Nobel Peace Prize goes to who?!

President Barack Obama was stunned to hear he had won the Nobel Peace Prize. He wasn't the only one. Come to think of it, I think everyone on Earth (along with any aliens monitoring the aforementioned planet...) was too. Compounding the mystery was the revelation that the deadline for nominations was February 1. Obama was inaugurated on January 20. That of course leads to the question, "What exactly has he done to win the Nobel Peace Prize"?
The Nobel Peace Prize Committee stammered out something about "changing the discourse of international relations" but I fail to see how overseeing two wars and threatening Iran is a fundamental change from the Bush administration's approach to foreign relations. As a matter of fact, Obama is sending 21,000 more US troops to Afghanistan which is sure to escalate the war there. Furthermore, General McChyrstal is asking for another three divisions, which would push manpower levels there to over 100,000. And the American commitment to Iraq is still over that particular magic number.
Anyone pointing to the health care "reform" is going to be broadsided by the question of how can threating to fine someone who does not sign up for health care be construed as reform? I have yet to hear an answer to that. From Republicans or Democrats.
Now there is the political angle. Norway is presently governed by a left of center coalition and one member of the committee was heard to say the nomination was a "kick to Bush's leg." Last I checked, Bush has been retired since January. For self-proclaimed liberals, the Norwegians seem to be looking backward into the past.
Maybe Barack Obama will do something in the future to earn the Prize. Regulating oil markets and muzzling speculators who make the world a worse place would certainly get my support. Award him a the Prize when he actually does something. Forecasting someone's political future is not much different than rolling the dice.
I hope the Committee doesn't break their arms patting themselves on the back. All the Nobel Peace Prize Committee accomplished was to cheapen the Prize. If Barack Obama had any humility, he would have gracefully declined the Nobel Peace Prize saying there are other people who have done important things.
All they have done is deepen the cynicism that affects the whole globe and pull the Nobel Peace Prize to the level of fantasy football.
I am going to McDonalds and get a happy meal. There might be a Nobel Peace Prize in it!