In Ironic Twist, Putin Has Been Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize

Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of 278 nominees for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, according to the Peace Research Institute Oslo.

The group that brought forth the nomination is the Russian-based International Academy of Spiritual Unity and Cooperation Among the Nations of the World. The nomination is also backed by Russian singer Iosif Kobzon. Completely disregarding recent developments in the Ukraine conflict and the hostile environment that his administration's policies create for LGBT individuals, the group cites Putin's role in averting an air strike on Syria after the chemical gas attacks last August.

"Being the leader of one of the leading nations of the world, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin makes efforts to maintain peace and tranquility not only on the territory of his own country but also actively promotes settlement of all conflicts arising on the planet," reads his letter of recommendation, which was received by the Norwegian Nobel Committee late last year.

Putin joins Edward Snowden, Malala Yousafzai, Chelsea Manning and Pope Francis on the list of nominees.

Granted, the requirements to nominate someone for the Nobel Peace Prize are pretty broad. Any member of government or any academic is able to submit a nominee. Putin is not the first questionable peace prize nominee to be submitted. Joseph Stalin, Czar Nicholas II and even Adolf Hitler are among past nominees.

But why should the man behind the military intervention in now-Russian Crimea, which involves 11,000 pro-Russian troops taking over the peninsula, be recognized for championing peace? Not to mention his involvement in previous violent conflicts between Russia and former Soviet states Georgia and Chechnya. It's an insult to the award and what it stands for.