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Barack Obama - Nobel Lecture
Barack Obama - Nobel Lecture
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BarackObama
NobelPrizeforPeaceLecture
delivered10December2009,OsloCityHall,Oslo,Norway
YourMajesties,YourRoyalHighnesses,distinguishedmembersoftheNorwegianNobel
Committee,citizensofAmerica,andcitizensoftheworld:
Ireceivethishonorwithdeepgratitudeandgreathumility.It'sanawardthatspeakstoour
highestaspirationsthatforallthecrueltyandhardshipofourworld,wearenotmere
prisonersoffate.Ouractionsmatter,andcanbendhistoryinthedirectionofjustice.
Andyet,IwouldberemissifIdidnotacknowledgetheconsiderablecontroversythatyour
generousdecisionhasgenerated.Inpart,thisisbecauseIamatthebeginning,andnotthe
end,ofmylaborsontheworldstage.Comparedtosomeofthegiantsofhistorywho've
receivedthisprizeSchweitzerandKing,MarshallandMandelamyaccomplishmentsare
slight.Andthentherearethemenandwomenaroundtheworldwho'vebeenjailedand
beateninthepursuitofjusticethosewhotoilinhumanitarianorganizationstorelieve
sufferingtheunrecognizedmillionswhosequietactsofcourageandcompassioninspireeven
themosthardenedcynics.Icannotarguewiththosewhofindthesemenandwomensome
known,someobscuretoallbutthosetheyhelptobefarmoredeservingofthishonorthan
I.
ButperhapsthemostprofoundissuesurroundingmyreceiptofthisprizeisthefactthatIam
theCommanderinChiefofthemilitaryofanationinthemidstoftwowars.Oneofthese
warsiswindingdown.TheotherisaconflictthatAmericadidnotseek,oneinwhichweare
joinedby42othercountriesincludingNorwayinanefforttodefendourselvesandall
nationsfromfurtherattacks.
Still,weareatwar.AndIamresponsibleforthedeploymentofthousandsofyoung
Americanstobattleinadistantland.Somewillkillandsomewillbekilled.AndsoIcome
herewithanacutesenseofthecostsofarmedconflictfilledwithdifficultquestionsabout
therelationshipbetweenwarandpeace,andourefforttoreplaceonewiththeother.
Andovertime,ascodesoflawsoughttocontrolviolencewithingroups,sodidphilosophers
andclericsandstatesmenseektoregulatethedestructivepowerofwar.Theconceptofa
"justwar"emerged,suggestingthatwarisjustifiedonlywhencertainconditionsweremet:if
itiswagedasalastresortorinselfdefenseiftheforceusedisproportionalandif,
wheneverpossible,civiliansaresparedfromviolence.
Ofcourse,weknowthatformostofhistory,thisconceptof"justwar"wasrarely
observed.Thecapacityofhumanbeingstothinkupnewwaystokilloneanotherproved
inexhaustible,asdidourcapacitytoexemptfrommercythosewholookdifferentorpraytoa
differentGod.Warsbetweenarmiesgavewaytowarsbetweennationstotalwarsinwhich
thedistinctionbetweencombatantandcivilianbecameblurred.Inthespanof30years,such
carnagewouldtwiceengulfthiscontinent.Andwhileit'shardtoconceiveofacausemorejust
thanthedefeatoftheThirdReichandtheAxispowers,WorldWarIIwasaconflictinwhich
thetotalnumberofcivilianswhodiedexceededthenumberofsoldierswhoperished.
Inthewakeofsuchdestruction,andwiththeadventofthenuclearage,itbecameclearto
victorandvanquishedalikethattheworldneededinstitutionstopreventanotherworld
war.AndsoaquartercenturyaftertheUnitedStatesSenaterejectedtheLeagueofNations
anideaforwhichWoodrowWilsonreceivedthisprizeAmericaledtheworldin
constructinganarchitecturetokeepthepeace:aMarshallPlan,andaUnitedNations
mechanismstogovernthewagingofwar,treatiestoprotecthumanrights,preventgenocide,
restrictthemostdangerousweapons.
Inmanyways,theseeffortssucceeded.Yes,terriblewarshavebeenfought,andatrocities
committed.ButtherehasbeennoThirdWorldWar.TheColdWarendedwithjubilantcrowds
dismantlingawall.Commercehasstitchedmuchoftheworldtogether.Billionshavebeen
liftedfrompoverty.Theidealsoflibertyandselfdetermination,equality,andtheruleoflaw
havehaltinglyadvanced.Wearetheheirsofthefortitudeandforesightofgenerationspast,
anditisalegacyforwhichmyowncountryisrightfullyproud.
Andyet,adecadeintoanewcentury,thisoldarchitectureisbucklingundertheweightof
newthreats.Theworldmaynolongershudderattheprospectofwarbetweentwonuclear
superpowers,butproliferationmayincreasetheriskofcatastrophe.Terrorismhaslongbeena
tactic,butmoderntechnologyallowsafewsmallmenwithoutsizedragetomurderinnocents
onahorrificscale.
Moreover,warsbetweennationshaveincreasinglygivenwaytowarswithinnations.The
resurgenceofethnicorsectarianconflictsthegrowthofsecessionistmovements,
insurgencies,andfailedstatesallthesethingshaveincreasinglytrappedciviliansin
unendingchaos.Intoday'swars,manymoreciviliansarekilledthansoldierstheseedsof
futureconflictaresown,economiesarewrecked,civilsocietiestornasunder,refugees
amassed,childrenscarred.
Wemustbeginbyacknowledgingahardtruth:Wewillnoteradicateviolentconflictinour
lifetimes.Therewillbetimeswhennations,actingindividuallyorinconcert,willfindtheuse
offorcenotonlynecessarybutmorallyjustified.
ImakethisstatementmindfulofwhatMartinLutherKingJr.saidinthissameceremony
yearsago:"Violenceneverbringspermanentpeace.Itsolvesnosocialproblem.Itmerely
createsnewandmorecomplicatedones."Assomeonewhostandshereasadirect
consequenceofDr.King'slifework,Iamlivingtestimonytothemoralforceofnonviolence.I
knowthere'snothingweak,nothingpassive,nothingnaveinthecreedandlivesofGandhi
andKing.
Butasaheadofstatesworntoprotectanddefendmynation,Icannotbeguidedbytheir
examplesalone.Ifacetheworldasitisandcannotstandidleinthefaceofthreatstothe
Americanpeople.Formakenomistake:Evildoesexistintheworld.Anonviolentmovement
couldnothavehaltedHitler'sarmies.NegotiationscannotconvincealQaeda'sleaderstolay
downtheirarms.Tosaythatforcemaysometimesbenecessaryisnotacalltocynicism.Itis
arecognitionofhistory,theimperfectionsofman,andthelimitsofreason.
Iraisethispoint,Ibeginwiththispointbecauseinmanycountriesthereisadeep
ambivalenceaboutmilitaryactiontodaynomatterwhatthecause.Andattimes,thisis
joinedbyareflexivesuspicionofAmerica,theworld'ssolemilitarysuperpower.
Yet,theworldmustrememberthatitwasnotsimplyinternationalinstitutionsnotjust
treatiesanddeclarationsthatbroughtstabilitytoapostWorldWarIIworld.Whatever
mistakeswehavemade,theplainfactisthis:TheUnitedStatesofAmericahashelped
underwriteglobalsecurityformorethansixdecadeswiththebloodofourcitizensandthe
strengthofourarms. Theserviceandsacrificeofourmenandwomeninuniformhas
promotedpeaceandprosperityfromGermanytoKorea,andenableddemocracytotakehold
inplacesliketheBalkans.Wehavebornethisburdennotbecauseweseektoimposeour
will.Wehavedonesooutofenlightenedselfinterestbecauseweseekabetterfuturefor
ourchildrenandgrandchildren,andwebelievethattheirliveswillbebetterifothers'children
andgrandchildrencanliveinfreedomandprosperity.
Soyes,theinstrumentsofwardohavearoletoplayinpreservingthepeace.Andyetthis
truthmustcoexistwithanother:thatnomatterhowjustified,warpromiseshuman
tragedy.Thesoldier'scourageandsacrificeisfullofgloryexpressingdevotiontocountry,
tocause,tocomradesinarms.Butwaritselfisnevergloriousandwemustnevertrumpetit
assuch.
Agradualevolutionofhumaninstitutions.
Whatmightthisevolutionlooklike?
Whatmightthesepracticalstepsbe?
Tobeginwith,Ibelievethatallnations,strongandweakalike,mustadheretostandardsthat
governtheuseofforce.I,likeanyheadofstate,reservetherighttoactunilaterallyif
necessarytodefendmynation.Nevertheless,Iamconvincedthatadheringtostandards,
internationalstandards,strengthensthosewhodoandisolatesandweakensthosewhodon't.
TheworldralliedaroundAmericaafterthe9/11attacksandcontinuestosupportoureffortsin
Afghanistan,becauseofthehorrorofthosesenselessattacksandtherecognizedprincipleof
selfdefense.Likewise,theworldrecognizedtheneedtoconfrontSaddamHusseinwhenhe
invadedKuwaitaconsensusthatsentaclearmessagetoallaboutthecostofaggression.
Furthermore,Americainfact,nonationcaninsistthatothersfollowtherulesoftheroad
ifwerefusetofollowthemourselves.Forwhenwedon't,ouractionsappeararbitraryand
undercutthelegitimacyoffutureinterventions,nomatterhowjustified.
Andthisbecomesparticularlyimportantwhenthepurposeofmilitaryactionextendsbeyond
selfdefenseorthedefenseofonenationagainstanaggressor.Moreandmore,weall
confrontdifficultquestionsabouthowtopreventtheslaughterofciviliansbytheirown
government,ortostopacivilwarwhoseviolenceandsufferingcanengulfanentireregion.
Ibelievethatforcecanbejustifiedonhumanitariangrounds,asitwasintheBalkans,orin
otherplacesthathavebeenscarredbywar.Inactiontearsatourconscienceandcanleadto
morecostlyinterventionlater.That'swhyallresponsiblenationsmustembracetherolethat
militarieswithaclearmandatecanplaytokeepthepeace.
America'scommitmenttoglobalsecuritywillneverwaver.Butinaworldinwhichthreatsare
morediffuseandmissionsmorecomplexAmericacannotactalone.Americaalonecannot
securethepeace.ThisistrueinAfghanistan.ThisistrueinfailedstateslikeSomalia,where
terrorismandpiracyisjoinedbyfamineandhumansuffering.Andsadly,itwillcontinuetobe
trueinunstableregionsforyearstocome.TheleadersandsoldiersofNATOcountries,and
otherfriendsandallies,demonstratethistruththroughthecapacityandcouragethey've
showninAfghanistan.Butinmanycountries,thereisadisconnectbetweentheeffortsof
thosewhoserveandtheambivalenceofthebroaderpublic.
That'swhyNATOcontinuestobeindispensable.That'swhywemuststrengthenU.N.and
regionalpeacekeeping,andnotleavethetasktoafewcountries.That'swhywehonorthose
whoreturnhomefrompeacekeepingandtrainingabroadtoOsloandRome,toOttawaand
Sydney,toDhakaandKigali.Wehonorthemnotasmakersofwar,butaswagersofpeace.
Letmemakeonefinalpointabouttheuseofforce.Evenaswemakedifficultdecisionsabout
goingtowar,wemustalsothinkclearlyabouthowwefightit.TheNobelCommittee
recognizedthistruthinawardingitsfirstprizeforpeacetoHenryDunantthefounderofthe
RedCross,andadrivingforcebehindtheGenevaConventions.
Whereforceisnecessary,wehaveamoralandstrategicinterestinbindingourselvesto
certainrulesofconduct.Andevenasweconfrontaviciousadversarythatabidesbynorules,
IbelievetheUnitedStatesofAmericamustremainastandardbearerintheconductofwar.
Thatiswhatmakesusdifferentfromthosewhomwefight.Thatisasourceofour
strength.ThatiswhyIprohibitedtorture.ThatiswhyIorderedtheprisonatGuantanamo
Bayclosed.AndthatiswhyIhavereaffirmedAmerica'scommitmenttoabidebytheGeneva
Conventions.Weloseourselveswhenwecompromisetheveryidealsthatwefightto
defend.Andwehonorthoseidealsbyupholdingthemnotwhenit'seasy,butwhenitishard.
I'vespokenatsomelengthtothequestionthatmustweighonourmindsandourheartsas
wechoosetowagewar.Butletmenowturntoourefforttoavoidsuchtragicchoices,and
speakofthreewaysthatwecanbuildajustandlastingpeace.
First,indealingwiththosenationsthatbreakrulesandlaws,Ibelievethatwemustdevelop
alternativestoviolencethataretoughenoughtoactuallychangebehavior.Forifwewanta
lastingpeace,thenthewordsoftheinternationalcommunitymustmeansomething.Those
regimesthatbreaktherulesmustbeheldaccountable.Sanctionsmustexactarealprice.
Intransigencemustbemetwithincreasedpressureandsuchpressureexistsonlywhenthe
worldstandstogetherasone.
Oneurgentexampleistheefforttopreventthespreadofnuclearweapons,andtoseeka
worldwithoutthem.Inthemiddleofthelastcentury,nationsagreedtobeboundbyatreaty
whosebargainisclear:Allwillhaveaccesstopeacefulnuclearpowerthosewithoutnuclear
weaponswillforsakethemandthosewithnuclearweaponswillworktowardsdisarmament.I
amcommittedtoupholdingthistreaty.Itisacenterpieceofmyforeignpolicy.AndI'm
workingwithPresidentMedvedevtoreduceAmericaandRussia'snuclearstockpiles.
ButitisalsoincumbentuponallofustoinsistthatnationslikeIranandNorthKoreadonot
gamethesystem.Thosewhoclaimtorespectinternationallawcannotaverttheireyeswhen
thoselawsareflouted.Thosewhocarefortheirownsecuritycannotignorethedangerofan
armsraceintheMiddleEastorEastAsia.Thosewhoseekpeacecannotstandidlybyas
nationsarmthemselvesfornuclearwar.
Thisbringsmetoasecondpoint:thenatureofthepeacethatweseek.Forpeaceisnot
merelytheabsenceofvisibleconflict.Onlyajustpeacebasedontheinherentrightsand
dignityofeveryindividualcantrulybelasting.Itwasthisinsightthatdrovedraftersofthe
UniversalDeclarationofHumanRightsaftertheSecondWorldWar.Inthewakeof
devastation,theyrecognizedthatifhumanrightsarenotprotected,peaceisahollow
promise.
Andyet,toooftenthesewordsareignored.Forsomecountries,thefailuretoupholdhuman
rightsisexcusedbythefalsesuggestionthatthesearesomehowWesternprinciples,foreign
tolocalculturesorstagesofanation'sdevelopment.AndwithinAmerica,there'slongbeena
tensionbetweenthosewhodescribethemselvesasrealistsoridealistsatensionthat
suggestsastarkchoicebetweenthenarrowpursuitofinterestsoranendlesscampaignto
imposeourvaluesaroundtheworld.
Irejectthesechoices.Ibelievethatpeaceisunstablewherecitizensaredeniedtherightto
speakfreelyorworshipastheypleasechoosetheirownleadersorassemblewithoutfear.
Pentupgrievancesfester,andthesuppressionoftribalandreligiousidentitycanleadto
violence.Wealsoknowthattheoppositeistrue.OnlywhenEuropebecamefreediditfinally
findpeace.Americahasneverfoughtawaragainstademocracy,andourclosestfriendsare
governmentsthatprotecttherightsoftheircitizens.Nomatterhowcallouslydefined,neither
America'sinterestsnortheworld'sareservedbythedenialofhumanaspirations.
Soevenaswerespecttheuniquecultureandtraditionsofdifferentcountries,Americawill
alwaysbeavoiceforthoseaspirationsthatareuniversal.Wewillbearwitnesstothequiet
dignityofreformerslikeAungSangSuuKyi,tothebraveryofZimbabweanswhocasttheir
ballotsinthefaceofbeatings,tothehundredsofthousandswhohavemarchedsilently
throughthestreetsofIran.Itistellingthattheleadersofthesegovernmentsfearthe
aspirationsoftheirownpeoplemorethanthepowerofanyothernation.Anditisthe
responsibilityofallfreepeopleandfreenationstomakeclearthatthesemovementsofhope
andhistorytheyhaveusontheirside.
Letmealsosaythis:Thepromotionofhumanrightscannotbeaboutexhortationalone.At
times,itmustbecoupledwithpainstakingdiplomacy.Iknowthatengagementwith
repressiveregimeslacksthesatisfyingpurityofindignation.ButIalsoknowthatsanctions
withoutoutreachcondemnationwithoutdiscussioncancarryforwardonlyacrippling
statusquo.Norepressiveregimecanmovedownanewpathunlessithasthechoiceofan
opendoor.
Third,ajustpeaceincludesnotonlycivilandpoliticalrightsitmustencompasseconomic
securityandopportunity.Fortruepeaceisnotjustfreedomfromfear,butfreedomfrom
want.Itisundoubtedlytruethatdevelopmentrarelytakesrootwithoutsecurityitisalsotrue
thatsecuritydoesnotexistwherehumanbeingsdonothaveaccesstoenoughfood,orclean
water,orthemedicineandsheltertheyneedtosurvive.Itdoesnotexistwherechildrencan't
aspiretoadecenteducationorajobthatsupportsafamily.Theabsenceofhopecanrota
societyfromwithin.
Andthat'swhyhelpingfarmersfeedtheirownpeople,ornationseducatetheirchildrenand
careforthesick,isnotmerecharity.It'salsowhytheworldmustcometogethertoconfront
climatechange.Thereislittlescientificdisputethatifwedonothing,wewillfacemore
drought,morefamine,moremassdisplacementallofwhichwillfuelmoreconflictfor
decades.Forthisreason,itisnotmerelyscientistsandenvironmentalactivistswhocallfor
swiftandforcefulaction.It'smilitaryleadersinmyowncountryandotherswhounderstand
ourcommonsecurityhangsinthebalance.
Agreementsamongnations.Stronginstitutions.Supportforhumanrights.Investmentsin
development.AllthesearevitalingredientsinbringingabouttheevolutionthatPresident
Kennedyspokeabout.Andyet,Idonotbelievethatwewillhavethewill,thedetermination,
thestayingpower,tocompletethisworkwithoutsomethingmoreandthat'sthecontinued
expansionofourmoralimaginationaninsistencethatthere'ssomethingirreduciblethatwe
allshare.
Astheworldgrowssmaller,youmightthinkitwouldbeeasierforhumanbeingstorecognize
howsimilarwearetounderstandthatwe'reallbasicallyseekingthesamethings,thatwe
allhopeforthechancetoliveoutourliveswithsomemeasureofhappinessandfulfillmentfor
ourselvesandourfamilies.
Andyet,somehow,giventhedizzyingpaceofglobalization,theculturallevelingofmodernity,
itperhapscomesasnosurprisethatpeoplefearthelossofwhattheycherishintheir
particularidentitiestheirrace,theirtribe,andperhapsmostpowerfullytheirreligion.In
someplaces,thisfearhasledtoconflict.Attimes,itevenfeelslikewe'removingbackwards.
WeseeitintheMiddleEast,astheconflictbetweenArabsandJewsseemstoharden.Wesee
itinnationsthataretornasunderbytriballines.
Suchawarpedviewofreligionisnotjustincompatiblewiththeconceptofpeace,butI
believeit'sincompatiblewiththeverypurposeoffaith:Fortheonerulethatliesattheheart
ofeverymajorreligionisthatwedountoothersaswewouldhavethemdountous.Adhering
tothislawoflovehasalwaysbeenthecorestruggleofhumannature.Forwearefallible.We
makemistakes,andfallvictimtothetemptationsofpride,andpower,andsometimesevil.
Eventhoseofuswiththebestofintentionswillattimesfailtorightthewrongsbeforeus.
Butwedonothavetothinkthathumannatureisperfectforustostillbelievethatthehuman
conditioncanbeperfected.Wedonothavetoliveinanidealizedworldtostillreachforthose
idealsthatwillmakeitabetterplace.ThenonviolencepracticedbymenlikeGandhiandKing
maynothavebeenpracticalorpossibleineverycircumstance,butthelovethatthey
preachedtheirfundamentalfaithinhumanprogressthatmustalwaysbetheNorthStar
thatguidesusonourjourney.
Forifwelosethatfaithifwedismissitassillyornaveifwedivorceitfromthedecisions
thatwemakeonissuesofwarandpeacethenwelosewhat'sbestabouthumanity.We
loseoursenseofpossibility.Weloseourmoralcompass.
Likegenerationshavebeforeus,wemustrejectthatfuture.AsDr.Kingsaidatthisoccasion
somanyyearsago,"Irefusetoacceptdespairasthefinalresponsetotheambiguitiesof
history.Irefusetoaccepttheideathatthe'isness'ofman'spresentconditionmakeshim
morallyincapableofreachingupfortheeternal'oughtness'thatforeverconfrontshim."Letus
reachfortheworldthatoughttobethatsparkofthedivinethatstillstirswithineachofour
souls.
Somewheretoday,inthehereandnow,intheworldasitis,asoldierseeshe'soutgunned,
butstandsfirmtokeepthepeace.Somewheretoday,inthisworld,ayoungprotestorawaits
thebrutalityofhergovernment,buthasthecouragetomarchon.Somewheretoday,a
motherfacingpunishingpovertystilltakesthetimetoteachherchild,scrapestogetherwhat
fewcoinsshehastosendthatchildtoschoolbecauseshebelievesthatacruelworldstill
hasaplaceforthatchild'sdreams.
Letuslivebytheirexample.Wecanacknowledgethatoppressionwillalwaysbewithus,and
stillstriveforjustice.Wecanadmittheintractabilityofdepravation,andstillstrivefor
dignity.Cleareyed,wecanunderstandthattherewillbewar,andstillstriveforpeace.We
candothatforthatisthestoryofhumanprogressthat'sthehopeofalltheworldandat
thismomentofchallenge,thatmustbeourworkhereonEarth.Thankyouverymuch.