United States President Barack Obama was declared the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner for his efforts aimed at reducing nuclear arms, promoting diplomacy in place of war, and appeasing the Islamic community. Despite the Nobel Peace Prize win, Nobel observers were shocked by the Obama win because they deem it still too early in his presidency.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the efforts of Obama at promoting peace but at the same time admitted that some of his plans, such as reducing nuclear arms, bringing the Islam community at peace with the US, and spearheading climate change.

The chairman of the Nobel Committee, Thorbjoern Jagland, stated about the Obama Nobel Peace Prize win:

“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future.”

But because the U.S. is still at war in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, and the US still has not taken up a bigger role in promoting climate change, people like former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate, criticized the Obama Nobel Peace Prize win, saying:

“So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is still at an early stage. He is only beginning to act.”

He did, however, gave room for Obama to operate and prove his worth as a Nobel Peace Prize winner:

“This is probably an encouragement for him to act. Let’s see if he perseveres. Let’s give him time to act.”

Many had expected others to be this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, like Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, a Chinese dissident, and an Afghan woman’s rights activist. A record 205 people were nominated and vied to be a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg lauded the decision for Obama as the Nobel Peace Prize winner, stating:

“The exciting and important thing about this prize is that it’s given to someone … who has the power to contribute to peace,”

Barack Obama is only the third sitting U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize, after President Theodore Roosevelt won it in 1906 and President Woodrow Wilson in 1919.