Media Say Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Inspires Hope

The Syrian media in general welcomed United States president Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, hoping that the distinguished award would help him to achieve peace in the Middle East.



The Nobel committee awarded the prize to Obama on October 9 for creating a new climate of diplomacy in international politics. But many critics said that Obama had not yet achieved enough to merit the prize.



In an October 11 editorial, Asaad Abboud, the editor-in-chief of the official al-Thawra newspaper, congratulated Obama, adding that awarding him the prize was a promise for the future of the region which is awaiting peace, as well as a condemnation of US policies of the past.



He said that Damascus also deserved a peace prize for focusing on dialogue and diplomacy in the region.



An op-ed item in the same daily published the following day said that the reward aimed at pushing the president to work for universal peace more effectively and move from intentions to practice and concrete decisions.



Columnist Khalaf Ali al-Meftah said that Obama needed to prove his credibility by withdrawing forces from Iraq and Afghanistan and moderating military and political support for Israel to force the Jewish state to seek peace.



He added that Obama should use the prize to send a message to all the people who suffered from US-led wars and who expect security after years of “killing, pain and injustice”.



Also in the same daily, Mustafa al-Meqdad wrote on October 12 that he was happy the prize was offered to Obama although he was surprised by the decision.

He said that the award “offered a lot of optimism in a world burdened by wars, terrorism and violence”.



Maybe Obama can do something to help reduce violence in the world as the head of the most powerful country in the world, he said.