The Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to President Barack Obama for doing...well...nothing could have been given to 171 other people or 33 organizations who were nominated. Although the Nobel committee does not release the names of the nominees, here are just three of the truly deserving people who were considered contenders for this year's prize:

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Afghan physician and human rights activist Sima Samar heads the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and the UN special envoy to Darfur in Africa. Concerned by the lack of health care facilities for Afghan refugee women, Dr. Samar established the Shuhada Organization and Shuhada Clinic in Pakistan. The Shuhada Organization provides health care to Afghan women and girls as well as education and training for medical staff.

Jordanian Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad brought together 170 Islamic scholars from 40 countries for the Amman Initiative to work out what they called a "theological counter-attack against terrorism." (source) The prince along with other prominent Islamic scholars wrote a letter called "A Common Word Between Us and You" that urged mutual understanding and peace with Christians.

Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba has won the release of 16 hostages held by the Marxist guerrillas guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia known as the FARC. She heads Colombians for Peace, a group trying to end the 45-year-old war between the government and the FARC. Senator Cordoba was nominated by Argentinean human rights activist Adolfo Perez Esquivel, winner of the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize.

All three of these amazing people have done things that actually warrant receiving a peace prize and have risked their lives to do so. President Obama said he was "both surprised and deeply humbled" at being chosen. He should be deeply embarrassed given his utter lack of accomplishments especially compared to people like Senator Cordoba, Prince Ghazi and Dr. Samar.