Blair and Bush: Nobel nominees?

By Azad Miah, Oldham, UK
5 February 2004, 18:00 PM
I know it has only been a month since the year 2004 began. But I think I have already heard the biggest joke of the year: Blair and Bush nominated for Nobel Peace Prize (DS, 31 Jan)! Awarding Nobel to these two gentlemen is all fine. But the only thing I don't understand is, what for? As I write this letter, Bush is on TV saying, "I want to know the facts." He invaded a sovereign country, killed countless numbers of Iraqi women and children; and now he says he wants to know the facts! Amazing stuff. If he didn't know the facts, why did he go to war?

First, Blair and Bush get their prize from the UN, with a lot of help from none other than Kofi Annan. And now we are talking about giving them a Nobel Prize? What kind of a signal are we sending? Are we saying that, if you murder people, if you insult the UN, if you use banned weapons on civilians and if you invade countries without even bothering to know the "facts"; we will reward you with a Nobel Prize? What an absolute load of garbage.

If the Nobel Foundation is so mad about tossing out its prestigious awards, I would like to nominate my cat Misu Miah in the contest! Why, you might ask, with sheer outrage. Well, he goes out at night and kills lots of mice. As a result, there are no mice ruining any furniture and making noise in our neighbours' houses. Because of my cat, some people in my street are sleeping peacefully! Now this is what I call a serious contribution to peace; wouldn't you agree? What's more, my cat is fully aware of all his facts and his territories!