2009 Nobel Peace Prize the prize" while in "CounterPunch", political journalist Alexander Cockburn said that, in historical context of other former U.S. Presidents winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the award to Obama "represents a radical break in tradition, since he's only had slightly less than nine months to discharge his imperial duties." Peter Beinart of the Daily Beast called the decision a "farce", while Noam Chomsky said : "In defense of the committee, we might say that the achievement of doing nothing to advance peace places Obama on a considerably higher moral plane than some of the earlier recipients". Many were critical of the
2013 Nobel Peace Prize in that country [Syria] and end the suffering of its people." United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the organisation's work. "USA Today" quoted a London-based Syrian opposition activist who doubted Syrian people would be celebrating the award. Similarly, a spokesperson for the Syrian National Coalition labelled the prize "ironic". Pakistani politician Imran Khan called on the USA and Russia to destroy their own chemical weapons. 2013 Nobel Peace Prize The 2013 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, for their "extensive work to eliminate chemical weapons". The award citation indicated the organization