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[Odler]

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Tomorrow, Friday, the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded. All week we have heard of the new Nobel laureates in literature, chemistry, economics, and physics. As usual, we have hardly heard of these people before.

But every year we have a clear idea of who would deserve an award for peace. Not this year. Since September 11, 2001, all over the world, only the war tam-tam has been rolling. Not even at the United Nations, an organization created out of commitment to peace, do we hear the sound of peace coming.

The front pages have been nothing but rogue and belligerent. Arafat, Ben Laden, Blair, Bush, Chirac, Musharaf, Putin, Sharon, to cite only a few in alphabetic order, usually on line for a Nobel Peace, have all been flexing their muscles, vying for war. Diplomacy has taken the back seat, in all conflicts.

The task for the Swedish academy to deliver the Peace Prize tomorrow morning will be challenging. There is no qualified candidate.

Who do you think should get it? My candidates are Jimmy Carter for his ?Habitats for Humanity?, or Bill Clinton for his courageous approach on curbing the AIDS epidemics in underdeveloped countries.

Or maybe it should go to an organization such as Green Peace, or Medecins Sans Frontieres (Physicians Without Borders). However, Carter and Clinton may not have done enough, MSF may have already gotten it (last year?), and Green Peace is seen more as talk than as action.

My hunch is that it will go (another one) to Rudolf Guiliani. Why? By default of grand figure: ?No one deserves it, let?s give it to someone with name recognition, the darling of the last two years.?

I can?t nonetheless picture the last time (or the first time) Giuliani has been peace-oriented about anything. Well, let?s wait and see; it is only a few hours left? Who is your pick?

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(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Thursday, October 10, 2002)