I was simply hoping and praying that all would have good words for our president who has brought such honor to our country.

PLEASE PUT BACK ANY HATE THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD IN THE PAST AND LET US ALL MOVE ON TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE
GOD BLESS AMERICA
'Thank You, America'
Thomas P.M. Barnett | Bio | 12 Oct 2009
World Politics Review


America awoke last Friday to the stunning news that its young president, Barack Obama, had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Naturally, in these hyper-partisan times, the award has elicited wild praise and unbalanced scorn back home, with darn near everybody trying to figure out why Obama was tapped for such a high honor just months into his first term. But as with all such awards, more was revealed about the selectors than the selected. So if the choice of Obama is inarguably premature, then what signal was Norway, one of America's oldest and most sensible friends, trying to send?

Simply put, Thank you, America.

- Thank you for rejoining this world that you've done so much to build and improve and defend, because there is still no other nation that combines your sheer power and moral leadership.

- Thank you for recognizing how much you'd gone off the deep end after 9/11 and for making the necessary course correction, because you've done it in a manner that has dramatically re-energized global diplomacy at a time of great global crisis.

- Thank you especially for having the courage to openly admit the mistakes you've made in recent years and apologizing for them with sincere humility, because we've never seen a global leader do that before -- ever.

- Thank you for rejecting Bush-Cheney's dangerous quest for global primacy in an age of multiple rising great powers, because as the world's sole superpower, only America can invite these nations into the "club" without destabilizing it.

- Thank you for moving away from the previous administration's tendency to play fast and loose with rules we hold so dearly, like those involving torture or the unjust treatment of suspected terrorists, because your example matters most on this subject.

- Thank you for trying to unwind your ongoing interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan in a responsible, non-panicked manner, and thank you even more for still being willing to suffer the bulk of coalition casualties.

- Thank you for keeping up your good fight against global extremism and terrorism while no longer letting that effort dominate your entire foreign policy, because the global agenda is simply too full right now to allow for such strategic myopia.

- Thank you for reaching out to the Islamic world in a respectful manner despite this ongoing struggle, because we know that wasn't easy after all the names you've been called and all the immigrants you've warmly accepted from all over the world.

- Thank you for the "reset" with Russia, because as that troubled regime's next-door neighbor, Europe needs an America that's more mature than Moscow can manage to be right now.

- Thank you for your calm but decisive leadership during the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression and the first truly global recession of modern globalization, because anything less could have sent the world spiraling toward real conflict.

- Thank you for not making China the scapegoat for all your economic problems and publicly recognizing how crucial China is to global economic stability going forward, because God knows the Chinese were no more ready for this crisis than you were.

- Thank you for recognizing the need to formally expand globalization's "board of directors" from the narrow G-7 to the truly global G-20, because it was just what the world needed right now -- another fine example of your inclusive nature.

- Thank you for restraining yourself from widespread trade protectionism during this moment of great economic and financial vulnerability, because we know how scared and angry your middle class is right now -- and thus how carefully you must lead.

- Thank you for recognizing the unsustainable nature of your financial relationship with the world and moving in the direction of correcting that imbalance in a responsible fashion -- to include trying to fix your out-of-control health care costs.

- Thank you for finally taking our fears about global warming seriously, and giving us every indication that you'll work with us toward a sensible global pact that mitigates this very real challenge without alienating the global economy's rising pillars.

- Thank you for not doing anything stupid or rash regarding North Korea's and Iran's nuclear programs while signaling your willingness to continue working toward a nuclear-free world -- however distant and implausible that goal seems right now.

- Thank you for deciding not to go ahead with that missile shield in Eastern Europe while signaling your willingness to extend your nuclear umbrella -- and missile defenses -- to countries truly threatened by Iran's growing capabilities.

- Thank you for showing some spine regarding Israel's disastrous Palestinian policies and its understandable instinct to strike out militarily at Iran, because we know how hard it is for you to try and discipline your longtime ally.

- Thank you for electing the son of a black man and a white woman the president of your country and reminding us of your union's consistently stunning ability to reinvent itself for the better.

- Thank you for continuing to remain optimistic about the future despite your current woes and those of the world at large, because we need your pragmatic but visionary leadership now more than ever.

- Finally, thank you for not rejecting this "thank you," for it was offered with the hope of encouraging you toward even more difficult decisions and adjustments in the years ahead, while pushing us to do the very same.

How will President Obama receive this message? I have no doubt that he'll accept it with the same sort of self-aware grace that won him the White House last year.

And as for Americans, the true audience for this prize's message? I think we should take our cue from our leader on this one, and simply say, Thank you.

Thomas P.M. Barnett is senior managing director of Enterra Solutions LLC and a contributing editor/online columnist for Esquire magazine. His latest book is "Great Powers: America and the World After Bush" (2009). His weekly WPR column, The New Rules, appears every Monday. Reach him and his blog at thomaspmbarnett.com.

This is a Drag Boat Racing forum , please don't drag it down with politics .
Thanks for understanding . TT

Wow! He did all that in 12 days!

GERAL,

READ THE POST AGAN...

12 DAYS?

AND, MOST OF ALL DID YOU GET PERMISSION FROM TOD TO POST ON A TOPIC THAT IS NOT ABOUT DRAG BOAT RACING?

OH, BY THE Way, I am sure you were posting to fuss at me, but, really all I was doing was supporting our AMERICA and our PRESIDENT. under a topic that allows any supject.

ms.winslett.
with all do respect this is a drag boat forum theres plenty of other forums to post that sort of crap..

kent price

Kent , Make sure to check your inbox for a tasty private message from Ms Winslett . I got one and It was a beauty ! If I see you in Phoenix I'll buy you a beer and we can compare stories . TT

Hay Kent,

This is the entire private message that I sent to Todd.
If you do not believe me, ask Duane to open up my private messages and he can send it to you.
From me to Todd:
THIS WAS POSTED UNDER GENERAL TOPIC...ANYTING GOES...SO, WAKEUP AND REMEMBER, YOU ARE AN AMERICAN AND POLITICS SHOULD BE OF INTREST TO YOU COWBOY.

I simply did not want to post anymore on the public website.

I did not post the Nobel Peace Prize topic to pick a dog fight. I truly thought it was a great honor for our country.
I never said Obama has done so much in his short time in office to warrant such an award, but I do believe our country has.

I heard that Obama watched college football weekend so they are going to give him the Heisman's trophy

Each of us is entitled to our own opinions. I am NOT trying to change your mind about Obama.

If you really read the topic that was NOT written by me you will find out that the author is saying Obama has NOT been in office long enough to receive the award BUT, our COUNRTY deserves it. It is a thank you for OUR COUNTRY.

Take some time if you want to and go to the vets against the war web site and read what THEY have to say. It was given to me by a vet at our V.A. hospital. http://www.ivaw.org

It will make you cry. Over 10,000 wounded soldiers have committed suicide. These are NOT my numbers, they are from the people who know.

I love my country, my president and I try to be positive about all of it. Again, each of us is in titled to study the facts. Support our troupes and not to run down each other in negative nasty talk because we don't agree.

Poor jokes about our President, our troups, our country are a sad statement for our children to read. Then we say be proud of our country to them and somehow expect them to be proud.
Tod, I have quite a few friends on this site..That is why I posted. Duane has made this a very LARGE and FREE OPENION website. If you do not like the topic, don't read it. I would NEVER post on the Tec. topics. And by the way, I pay my membership to differant groups that are part of drag boat racing.

Sorry if I upset you. You sure were not the subject of the topic.

This thread should be deleted from the site. I was told another dragboat site has deleted it and I sincerely hope this site follows suit.

My point, that appears to have been completely missed, is that the nomination period for the prize ended eleven days after obama took office. As mentioned on CNN those days consisted of -- partied, slept in, partied some more, slept, brought in live music, partied, and skipped church. Not one event involved a sport that relies on water except for the hot tub.

Posted By Geral Laney on 21 Oct 2009 10:05 AM
This thread should be deleted from the site. I was told another dragboat site has deleted it and I sincerely hope this site follows suit.

My point, that appears to have been completely missed, is that the nomination period for the prize ended eleven days after obama took office. As mentioned on CNN those days consisted of -- partied, slept in, partied some more, slept, brought in live music, partied, and skipped church. Not one event involved a sport that relies on water except for the hot tub.

Correct facts ARE important.

The facts about the OTHER post are:
A LOCK was put on the Nobel post. It was not removed.
Next some one started a TOPIC about me, which was simply to talk trash about me, not Obama or the Nobel Peace prize. Oddly enough, J.D. posted that if I tried to post on the topic about me it would be removed. In other words, I was not allowed to defended myself...the topic is still open. But, since YOU are a member of that other site I am sure you know all of this anyway.

Look, if it really bothers you so much, I don't care. If me trying to post somthing postive keeps you up late at night, by all means, lets takke it down...after all, I suppose we are all suppose to be drones that think just like you....

Good night, oh yes, get them FACTS right!!!!

hey todd and geral

like the beer idea todd.... and geral couldnt agree more like to buy both of you guys a cold one...
kent