Nobel Peace Prize Criteria - There Is None

WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- If you're surprised President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, you're not the only one.

The President even said he was shocked Friday morning when he heard the news.

"I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures," he said. "[People] who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace."

So that begs the question, what is the criteria for winning a Nobel Peace Prize and has it grown more political?

If you start with the man the award was named after, Alfred Nobel, you learn the prize was intended for the person who has done the most work for fraternity between nations.

"It used to be a much more objective standard," said Pat Buchanan, a former presidential candidate and conservative pundit. "Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt they ended wars. This is like giving the Heisman trophy to a freshman quarterback at Oklahoma. As one White House aid said: 'What is this April 1st or something?' But i think they've got to welcome it because it is a tremendous honor." "

Or is it?

"The Nobel Peace Prize is not such a big deal as we make out of it," explained Dr. Amitai Etzioni, a Professor of International Studies at GW University.

Etzioni said if you consider the history of the award and take into account past recipients, that should give people clues.

"What we're judging is who got it recently? And if you've never heard about them than we can all calm down a little," he said. "In the best of both worlds they could have waited until next year and give him a chance to deliver. But I give my students an A for effort."

While the intention of the Nobel Peace Prize was clearly stated in its early years, it appears to have faded over time.

"It's a committee," said Etzioni. "Whatever they say, they have the final word. They don't have to account to anybody they don't have to prove that they met six points and such. There obviously isn't a criteria other than this committee. I sympathize because every year they must pick somebody. If you ask yourself: if it wasn't Obama who's supposed to get it this year? You won't find a long list of candidates."

What you will find is a peace prize winner - who's most likely moving on to other topics: troops in afghanistan, the war in Iraq and nuclear weapons in Iran...to name just a few.