Congratulate our president for a job well done

The world was surprised on Friday October 10 that Barack Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize. But surprise should not have been a cause for derision. Instead, it should have been a cause for national pride. But right away, many questioned whether it was deserved since he had been in office so few months to accomplish much. Republicans like Michael Steele dismissed it as "meaningless."I agree that the Nobel Committee's action was "aspirational" in the sense that it wanted Obama to continue the course he had set. But I also think they had concluded that in setting a different and positive course for America, he also exercised the kind of outstanding leadership for the global system that merited the award.

He had rejected President George W. Bush's approach to the international system by announcing in Berlin that the United States would renew collaboration with nations to resolve important problems, rather than rattle our sabers and go it alone. He followed up by adopting a global approach in dealing with Iran's nuclear capability.

The surprising result is that Iran has agreed to six-party talks in Geneva and given Russia the right to enrich its uranium. Obama told the Islamic world that America sees them as friends and allies rather than enemies and that it would join them in ventures for peace if they would open their hand in friendship rather than the hand of jihad.

Then he followed up with a negotiating framework with Iran to address its nuclear capability and re-starting dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians that Bush dropped until the last minutes of his Presidency. Obama, announced in Prague that the United States would work toward elimination of nuclear weapons in April this year, followed up in September by proposing a resolution that was adopted by the United Nations Security Council and by beginning negotiations with Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles.

He also eliminated the defensive nuclear shield in Eastern Europe, winning him instant credibility with the Russians and their assistance in dealing with Iran's nuclear capability. On climate change, Obama departed from the Bush administration, asserting that it was an urgent priority that could not be resolved by U. S. alone.

He reached out to China and other countries that have recently industrialized and folded this priority into his domestic policy to create a green revolution and manage energy differently.

In the U.S., Obama has continued policies that have moved the American financial system back from the brink of disaster toward solvency. Total recovery has not been achieved yet, but Obama deserves enormous credit for trying to stabilize the banking system, initiating a Stimulus Package to prop up the economy and start job creation. Similarly, he deserves credit for trying to stabilize the auto industry, obtain universal health care coverage, pull out of Iraq, and rejecting torture

In a mere nine months, he has not only given some great speeches, but done some good things to back them up. Fundamentally what we are witnessing is the difference of opinion between American elites and Europeans who harbor a profound dislike for President Bush ruthlessly violating the common standards of democracy shared by his allies and aspired to by other states in the global system.

Those wedded to Bush politics may resent that the international community has repudiated them so soundly by rewarding Barack Obama for changing course.

The many Blacks who support Obama, but also appeared surprised about Obama's Nobel Prize, not to understand the basis of the Nobel Committee's decision is a sign that they may have been so mired in the crises that face America they have not paid much attention to the genuinely pro-American attitudes that Barack Obama has re-kindled in Europe and around the world.

So, why not join the Nobel Committee in saying "well done" so far, even as we push the President to do better?

Dr. Ron Walters is Professor Emeritus of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland College Park. His latest book is, "The Price of Racial Reconciliation" (University of Michigan Press).