Obama defends US role in war

United States President Barack Obama has said the US must uphold moral standards when waging wars that are necessary and justified.



Mr. Obama made the statement as he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize.



In his speech in Oslo, Norway he defended the US’s role in Afghanistan, arguing that the use of force could bring lasting peace.



Obama was given the prize in October for his reported extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.



Today’s ceremony in the Norwegian Capital comes days after the US President announced he would be sending 30,000 extra soldiers to the war in Afghanistan.



There was mixed reaction when he was named the winner of this year\'s prize, becoming the fourth US President to be given the honour.



Obama\'s elevation to the rank of fellow laureates such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, before he has even spent a year in office, has also sparked fierce debate.