I do find it interesting that the Nobel Committee saw fit to have Malala Yousafzai share the Peace Prize. Now it certainly isn’t unusual for this Nobel to be awarded to more than one person or organization. But it is interesting to me that they made a point of awarding the prize jointly to a Pakistani and an Indian. I realize there have been recent escalations in tension between India and Pakistan, but that is par for the course. I have no objections to their selection of Kailash Satyarthi. He is certainly a far more worthy recipient than a certain sitting U.S. President.

With that said, I think the Nobel Committee was reluctant to bestow the award solely upon Malala because the emphasis would shift on someone who has stood up to Islamic fundamentalism, paid a price for it and lived to tell the tale. Like many institutions, while the Nobel Committee is happy to tweak George W. Bush by giving the Peace Prize to Jimmy Carter, it does not want to offend the Muslim world. Malala’s selection is made more palatable by making it part of a campaign to promote peace between India and Pakistan. 

Don’t get me wrong. Peace between India and Pakistan is a worthy endeavor. But I think Malala’s achievements in her young life are sufficient to merit a singular Nobel Prize and if not for this fear of offending the Muslim world I believe she would be awarded the prize in her own right.