The Back Channel
A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal
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4.4 • 38 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
“A masterful diplomatic memoir” (The Washington Post) from CIA director and career ambassador William J. Burns, from his service under five presidents to his personal encounters with Vladimir Putin and other world leaders—an impassioned argument for the enduring value of diplomacy in an increasingly volatile world.
Over the course of more than three decades as an American diplomat, William J. Burns played a central role in the most consequential diplomatic episodes of his time—from the bloodless end of the Cold War to the collapse of post–Cold War relations with Putin’s Russia, from post–9/11 tumult in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Middle East to the secret nuclear talks with Iran.
In The Back Channel, Burns recounts, with novelistic detail and incisive analysis, some of the seminal moments of his career. Drawing on a trove of newly declassified cables and memos, he gives readers a rare inside look at American diplomacy in action. His dispatches from war-torn Chechnya and Qaddafi’s bizarre camp in the Libyan desert and his warnings of the “Perfect Storm” that would be unleashed by the Iraq War will reshape our understanding of history—and inform the policy debates of the future. Burns sketches the contours of effective American leadership in a world that resembles neither the zero-sum Cold War contest of his early years as a diplomat nor the “unipolar moment” of American primacy that followed.
Ultimately, The Back Channel is an eloquent, deeply informed, and timely story of a life spent in service of American interests abroad. It is also a powerful reminder, in a time of great turmoil, of the enduring importance of diplomacy.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this highly relevant work, Burns, who retired in 2014 as the deputy secretary of state, takes a fascinating look at his career and outlines ways in which American diplomacy can be strengthened. Since 1983 he has served in the Middle East, Russia, and Washington, D.C. Despite being a highly decorated member of the Foreign Service, Burns comes across as humble but forthcoming about American diplomacy's successes and failures, including his own regrets, such as failing to implement "delayering" of decision-making bureaucracy within the department. His sketches of his colleagues and counterparts are often generous with praise, but also incisive; readers may be particularly interested in his take on Vladimir Putin ("the extreme embodiment of" the "Russian combination of qualities": "cocky, cranky, aggrieved, and insecure," but also "sober, ruthlessly competent, hardworking, and hard-faced"). He is particularly forthright in his condemnation of Donald Trump, describing his "erratic leadership" as leaving "America and its diplomats dangerously adrift." The final section is a blueprint for a "post-Trump reinvention of diplomacy" that emphasizes tradecraft, negotiation, and "updating American priorities." Burns's work showcases an impressive combination of dedication, passion, and diligence, and persuasively demonstrates the "quiet power" that diplomacy can have in world affairs. This is not to be missed.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
Excellent
An Inside View of 30+years of U.S. Foreign Diplomacy
Throughout the “The Back Channel” Author William J. Burns gives the reader an incredible front row seat to the last thirty plus years of American diplomacy (or sometimes the lack of diplomacy!) Through the author’s respectful and thought-provoking critique of the past 5 presidential administrations we are able to see where our foreign policy has served us well and where it has failed. The author does an amazing job of sifting through his years of service focusing on critical events and policies that give context to not only where we have been and where we are, but even more importantly what the future could be! While politically there were policies I opposed, I closed the book with an incredible respect and appreciation for the hard work, intelligence, and agility that goes into achieving a coherent and credible foreign policy. I couldn’t help but think how lucky our country had been to have the service of William Burns. And despite the incredibly challenging times before us, after reading “The Back Channel”, I am left with the belief that there will be others following William Burns that are ready to dedicate themselves to developing and implementing a coherent foreign policy/diplomacy that recognizes our values, respects the values of others and can still give hope to the world. And even more importantly upon finishing the book, I am left knowing that while changes may be necessary to reflect the dynamics of a new world, it is critical that the work of diplomacy not only continue but be made a priority for our country! I was honored to receive a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher, Random House in exchange for an honest review.