Josh Buckner

President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today in Oslo, Norway. In my opinion, this was one of the best speeches Obama has given since being elected President.

Watch the video of his entire speech: CNN (w/ transcript) NY Times

Here are a few select quotes that resonated with me:

I understand why war is not popular, but I also know this: The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it.
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For if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something.
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Those who want peace cannot sit idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.
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And within America, there’s long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists; a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values around the world. I reject these choices.
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The nonviolence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached — their faith in human progress — must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey. For if we lose that faith — if we dismiss it as silly or naive; if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace — then we lose what is best about humanity. We lose our sense of possibility. We lose our moral compass.

Posted in: Politics by Josh Buckner / Tags: Afghanistan, decision making, foreign policy, leadership, Obama, peace, terrorism, war