Reject Nomination of Bush and Blair for Nobel Prize
Dear Nobel Prize committee
I am writing to protest the nomination of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W. Bush for the Nobel Peace
Prize, and to urge the committee not to award this prestigious recognition to them.
Norwegian Member of Parliament Harald Tom Nesvik announced that he has submitted a nomination for Tony Blair and George
W. Bush for "their decisive action against terrorism, something I believe in the future will be the greatest threat to peace."
From what I understand, the provisions set by Alfred Nobel specify that the winner of the Peace Prize "shall have done the most
or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and
promotion of peace congresses."
However, Tony Blair has ordered more military actions than any U.K. leader since World War II, with at least one military action
every year since 1998. George W. Bush has initiated a war not only against Afghanistan, but an undefined, open ended "War on
Terrorism" which administration officials threaten to expand to other nations such as Iran, North Korea, and Iraq.
In pursuit of his "War on Terrorism," Bush has urged massive increases to the size and funding of the U.S. standing military. He
has also embroiled the U.S. in civil wars throughout the developing world. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has stated that the
global "War on Terrorism" launched by Bush "may never end. At least, not in our lifetimes."
Many global peace groups have been working hard and making change toward ending violence and global suffering, but have
been stonewalled or even intimidated by the war administrations of Bush and Blair. The courageous, nonviolent direct work for
peace by groups such as Women in Black (a 2001 Nobel Peace Prize nominee) and the Revolutionary Association of the
Women of Afghanistan, stands in direct contrast to the global warfare launched by Prime Minister Blair and President Bush.
Perpetual war is not peace. Whether or not Bush and Blair's actions are justified, their extensive and expanding pursuit of
warfare is not the same thing as working for peace by any definition of the word, and does not amount to "fraternity between
nations, ... the abolition or reduction of standing armies and ... holding and promotion of peace congresses."
I hope that the Nobel Peace Prize committee will reject Nesvik's proposal and choose to make an award that will respect the
unique prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the individuals and groups who have truly worked for global peace.
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