Today, I’ll just use this space to ruminate over some current events that we have been bombarded with lately. Nothing momentous, but it seems that this holiday season is touched by them just the same.

President Barack Obama received his Nobel Peace Prize yesterday. He summed up some key issues in his acceptance speech. “The belief that peace is desirable, is rarely enough to achieve it,” he says. Obama defended exactly what he believes in and what this country believes in. If there is a need for action, this country has done what it has had to in times past and present. Yet this action comes with a price.

An imminent 30,000-troop surge to Afghanistan Obama ordered has come under some fire from detractors and others who wonder at the decision to put more troops at risk from insurgents. But as Obama has said, “No matter how justified, war always promises human tragedy.” An action taken by a country to defend its principles has far reaching consequences, not all of them good.

No amount of criticism can reverse the decision to go to war in the first place. In his decision to send more troops into Afghanistan, the president has shown and accepted responsibility for going to war. Kudos to him for this gesture.

However, the President’s gesture and vision for peace should be accompanied by more action focused on the rebuilding of these nations and those who have suffered in these nations as a result of war.

Obama’s speech did a lot for the communication of his visions for peace. However, backing this speech up with more peacekeeping and rebuilding efforts will possibly go a long way to quieting some of his detractors. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have created suspicion. Gradually bringing in other leaders in the rebuilding efforts would help assuage this suspicion and realize his potential as a Nobel Laureate.

Thoughts anyone?

Sonali Kudva is a graduate journalism student and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].