This award has really become a joke. And it is a shame, it has such a great tradition of awarding people and organizations who have made a global difference, a positive change in the world. But the last few years - Gore, Carter and Kofi Annan?
Al Gore, who wrote a book about climate change that most countries have banned from schools because of it's obvious discrepancies.
Jimmy Carter - again, haven't a clue.
Kofi Annan, who presided over the largest organization of corruption we have seen in the modern world.
BTW - there WERE others considered this year, including France's President Sarkozy (NOTE: The names of nominees are kept secret by the institute for 50 years. But those who are entitled to nominate are allowed to reveal the name of the person or organisation they have proposed, if they wish to do so.):
Former French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt and Chinese dissident Hu Jia. The fact that Hu Jia, who was considered a front-runner for the 2008 prize, is back on this year's list risks angering Beijing, which reacts vehemently each time a Chinese dissident is mentioned as a candidate (and we wouldn't want to anger the Chinese, would we?).
The Cluster Munitions Coalition is also known to be on the list after it played a central role in getting nearly 100 countries to sign a treaty last year in Oslo banning cluster bombs.
Six members of the U.S. Congress nominated humanitarian Greg Mortenson of Bozeman. Mortenson, 51, founder of the Central Asia Institute and co-author of the bestselling book “Three Cups of Tea,” has built nearly 80 schools, especially for girls, in remote areas of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan over the past 15 years.
Last year's winner was former Finnish president and career diplomat Martti Ahtisaari for his efforts on several continents, over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts.
