WASHINGTON — The gold medallion given to recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize doesn't come with a ribbon, but the award could still end up being a weight around President Barack Obama's neck.
- Intended to honor how Obama has altered the United States' diplomatic direction, the award probably will call attention to how much of the administration's agenda — including closing the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison and winding down the war in Iraq — remains undone.
- The prize also poses political risks for a president routinely depicted by Republicans as more focused on seeking international approval than defending the security interests of the U.S.
- That criticism could be compounded if Obama rejects the military's request for an additional 40,000 troops in Afghanistan. Obama has recently struggled over how to proceed in that conflict, and just hours after learning he had won the award met with senior members of his war Cabinet.
- Mindful of such perils, the president sought to downplay the significance of the Nobel, describing it as a "means to give momentum" to causes that others also embrace. He also said: "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve" it.
- The award undoubtedly carries benefits. Democrats basked in the latest accolade bestowed on their party's brightest star. And winning the Nobel might strengthen Obama's diplomatic hand as he enters negotiations with North Korea and Iran.
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