On Nobel Prizes

Someone argued with me the other day that Paul Krugman should be taken seriously because he has a Nobel Prize.

And Barack Obama has a Nobel Peace Prize, too. While holding that prize he expanded the war in Afghanistan, and he started a new war in Libya; the latter not only done without Congressional approval but continued after Congress specifically denied such permission. He sent troops to fight in Central Africa, and established new military bases in Australia. He is currently threatening military attacks against Iran. He also has expanded the policy of slaughtering people by firing Hellfire missiles from unmanned drones from one nation to seven. Of course, we are not at war with any of those seven nations, so...

In short, it's hard to define what it is that a Nobel Prize proves.