“For his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

Barely nine months into office, President Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. News of the reward was received at about 5 a.m. via a wire report to the Situation Room. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs then called Obama at 6 a.m. to tell him he had won.

Gibbs said Obama was “humbled” to receive the award. “I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations,” he said. Obama acknowledged that even though he won a prize for peace, he was commander-in-chief of two wars. “We have to confront the world as we know it.” He described himself as humbled, and said he would accept the reward as a “call to action” to attack the challenges of the 21st century

News of the prize shocked the White House and international observers. Obama had been a possibility for this year’s award, but he had not been viewed as a leading candidate. Most attention was given to Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe’s reformist prime minister, Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba, a peace advocate, Sima Samar, an African women’s rights activist, and a small number of Chinese dissident leaders. The Nobel Peace Prize being rewarded to the first-year U.S. president drew both skepticism and praise around the world.

Obama’s receiving of the award was greeted with shock from the audience at the announcement ceremony in Oslo. Some are questioning what Obama has done in his time as president to deserve the honor. They say we still have to consider that the U.S. is still at war in Afghanistan and has made little progress on Mideast peace.

This reward has opened Obama up to much criticism. GOP strategist Ed Rollins said the prize is a premature honor and said that “Three speeches is a start...Is it really that he built peace in the world or that he wants peace? I congratulate him for it. The key thing is what does he do now to earn it.” Critics called the Nobel Peace Prize Committee’s decision premature because Obama has accomplished little as he struggles with challenges from war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, “We condemn the Nobel Peace Prize for Obama. We have seen no change in his strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghanistan or to make this country stable.” People are also considering the fact that the U.S. is still very unstable. A large portion of United States citizens are not happy with Obama’s progress so far. “One thing is for certain-President Obama won’t be receiving any rewards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. Obama still faces many problems in the U.S. Troubles at home include a battered economy and a debate over health care changes that have chipped away at once-high approval ratings.

Democrats viewed the news as approval for Obama’s approach to foreign affairs, where he has tried to make changes with a more strict approach than was used under former president Bush. “It validates the president’s approach to tough transnational challenges such as global warming and the spread of nuclear arms. And it celebrates his steady efforts to improve America’s standing around the world,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman.

Along with U.S. Democrats, U.S. allies also praise the decision. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who won the prize in 1984, praised the “wonderful” decision by the Nobel committee. “It is a very imaginative and somewhat surprising choice. It is wonderful,” Tutu told reporters. “He has had a very significant impact. His presidency has changed the temperature, and almost everybody feels a little more hopeful about the world.” Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the prize winner in 2005, said that Obama has already provided leadership in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. “In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself,” ElBaradei said.

Obama plans on travelling to Oslo for the awards ceremony on December 10 to receive the prize. The prize money is roughly 1.4 million dollars, a sum which he plans on donating to charity.