by nate on Friday, December 11th, 2009 | Inspiration, News, World

Obama is receiving noble prize at Oslo. During his humble speech, he is promoting peace and at the same time acknowledging his own limited accomplishments while delivering a robust defense of war.

“Evil does exist in the world,” Obama said. “A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism. It is a recognition of history, the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.”

US media and leading opinion makers on Friday had largely positive views of Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace award speech in Oslo, with conservatives especially delighted with his choice of words.

At certain moments Obama “articulates our problems in ways that elevate us beyond our pettier differences,” and the acceptance speech “was a triumphant expression of American values and character.”

He said that the pace of withdrawal would be based on conditions on the ground and that the drawdown would not be sharp, “but July 2011 will signal a shift in our mission.”

A Norwegian reporter asked what Obama would do to counter criticism that his Nobel Prize was premature.

The president said his foreign policy goal “is not to win a popularity contest or to get an award” but “to advance America’s interests, to strengthen our economy at home and to make ourselves a continuing force for good in the world. …

“If I’m successful in those tasks, then hopefully some of the criticism will subside, but that’s not really my concern. And if I’m not successful, then all the praise and the awards in the world won’t disguise that fact.”

Two fierce Republican Obama critics — former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and former House speaker Newt Gingrich, both potential 2012 presidential hopefuls — also praised the speech.

“I liked what he said,” Palin told USA Today. “Of course, war is the last thing I believe any American wants to engage in, but it’s necessary. We have to stop these terrorists.”

“I thought in some ways it’s a very historic speech,” Gingrich told a public radio morning show, according to the Politico website.

Tags: Barrack Obama, Noble award, Noble prize, Noble winner, Obama's speech, Oslo, palin, Peace, Sarah Palin, war