•This refers to the editorial ‘Because he can?’ and Harsh Pant’s ‘What were they thinking?’ (IE, October 10). Even Barack Obama’s admirers will have received the news of his being awarded with the Nobel with shock. Yet, is it not possible that while the Nobel Peace Prize adds to the president’s moral burden, because he has been in the world’s highest office for barely three quarters of a year, it causes acute embarrassment to the conservatives in the American Congress? Simultaneously, while the majority of Americans and citizens of NATO states participating in the Afghan operations want an early end to that war, the US military leadership, egged on by both conservatives and the military-industrial lobby, want a surge so that they can sell more arms, and local ally Pakistan is increasingly proving itself untrustworthy. Against this background, Obama is a realist if his Cairo speech was any indication, as also his recent UN speech where he indicated shedding his country’s arrogance in international politics, which the Nobel Committee has described as “strengthening international diplomacy”. Yes, President Obama is not even halfway through his agenda or term, but now he will persist in his efforts. After all, whether the economy or Iraq and Afghanistan, these are legacies of his predecessor. The world should wish Obama well, besides congratulating him.

— M.K.D. Prasada Rao

Ghaziabad

Too soon

•Just as we were celebrating V. Ramakrishnan being awarded the Nobel for chemistry, there’s been a travesty almost immediately. In a world dominated by the likes of Hugo Chavez, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong-Il, Barack Obama is singing a different tune altogether. Perhaps the contrast gives a relative value to the man, who is yet to contribute in any serious way to global peace. In an absolute sense, little has been achieved by Obama till date. Since assuming office, he has only tried to assuage the apprehensions about US intentions, particularly in the Muslim world. He has tried to engage with Iran, but others like North Korea remain untouched. We still don’t know how Iran will respond or how Obama will curtail North Korea. Pakistan is still a worry. In a nutshell, nothing significant has been achieved. At best, a beginning has been made. But does making a beginning entitle one to the Nobel? It was too early to award Obama.

... contd.