Washington  - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to President Barack Obama "really restores an image and appreciation" of the US on the world stage, but would not influence decisions on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

"I think that the president makes each decision on the merits. It's not going to influence some of these tough decisions that he has to make. And I think he is very well aware of the multiple responsibilities he bears," she said in an interview with NBC's Today show aired Monday.

"The fact that they recognized that his attitude toward America's role in the world, his willingness to challenge everyone, to kind of step up and take responsibility, really restores an image and appreciation of our country," she said of the surprise decision Friday to award Obama the Peace Prize.

She said the administration was investigating all angles of the conflict before deciding whether to commit an additional 40,000 troops to Afghanistan as commanders have requested.  dpa