Vladimir Putin is among the 278 individuals and organizations nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, according to CNBC. I’m not sure who nominated him, or what their motive was. I suppose you could argue that merely grabbing Crimea instead of nuking the whole of Ukraine in retaliation for overthrowing his corrupt buddy is Nobel-worthy. After all, by not pushing the red button, he saved millions of lives.
Most Nobel Prizes have a certain positive catchet — they supposedly encourage and recognize positive contributions to the well-being of humanity — although any medal awarded to the likes of Arafat, Gorbachev, and Kissinger inevitably has some tarnish on it. Putin? A career KGB agent who turned himself into Russia’s first post-Soviet Brezhnev? I could see giving him a Red Banner, but a Nobel? Whose wet dream is that?
I think they should give it to Snowden. It’s about time someone defied the KGBs and NSAs of the world. The Nobel selection committee shouldn’t let this opportunity to take a swipe at Big Brother slip from their grasp. The only thing Putin deserves is a big, red, raspberry.