A humble United States President Barack Obama said on Thursday that others may be “more deserving” of the surprise Nobel Peace Prize he was due to formally accept later in the day.
“I have no doubt there are others who may be more deserving,” Obama said at a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, adding that he had been surprised to be named as the prize winner in October.
He, however, pledged to work to enact his pro-engagement foreign policy, including working for lasting peace and security in the world, stabilising Afghanistan, addressing climate change and cutting nuclear weapons.
“The goal is not to win a popularity contest or to get an award, even one as prestigious as the Nobel peace prize. The goal has been to advance America’s interests.
“If I am successful in those tasks, then hopefully some of the criticism will subside, but that is not really my concern.
“If I am not successful, then all the praise and the awards in the world won’t disguise that fact.”
Obama also said on Thursday he was “unambiguous” about his July 2011 date for the start of a US drawdown in Afghanistan, adding there should be no debate about his decision.
“Beginning in July 2011 we are beginning to transfer responsibility to the Afghan people and Afghan security forces,” he said.
“I have been unambiguous about this so there should not be a debate. Starting in July 2011, we will begin that transition.”
But the president also repeated his earlier assertion that the speed of the US drawdown and departure from Afghanistan of US and allied troops would be dictated by how successful they were in stabilising the war-torn country.
“The pace at which that takes place, the slope of a drawdown, how it occurs tactically, those are all going to be conditions-based.”
Though Obama named a date for a drawdown to begin, in a speech last week announcing he would send 30 000 more US troops to the war, he has not stated and deadline for the withdrawal to be complete.
Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen told CBS this week the number of soldiers leaving in 2011 could be “very few.”
Republicans have harshly criticised Obama over the July 2011 date, saying it gives encouragement to the Taliban, but the deadline was seen as a way to pacify the anti-war lobby which is part of the president’s political base. — AFP