The riveting story of many of the most dramatic international crises and conflicts of recent years, including everyone from presidents, warlords and 'the noble, the brutal, the cunning and the just-plain unhinged'. The Back Channel recounts with vivid detail and incisive analysis some of the seminal moments of a legendary diplomatic career--from the bloodless end of the Cold War to relations with Putin's Russia, and from post-9/11 tumult in the Middle East and secret nuclear talks with Iran to America's rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific and its deepening strategic partnership with India.
Career diplomat William J. Burns draws on his treasure trove of newly declassified cables and memos to offer a rare peek at US diplomacy in action. He illuminates the back channels of his profession, and its value in a world that resembles neither the zerosum Cold War of his early career, nor the 'unipolar moment' of American primacy that followed. His dispatches from war-torn Chechnya and Qadhafi's camp in the Libyan desert, and his memos warning of the 'perfect storm' unleashed by the Iraq War, will profoundly reshape both our understanding of history and the policy debates of the future.
The Back Channel is an eloquent, deeply informed and impassioned argument for renewing diplomacy as the tool of first resort in American statecraft.
Industry Reviews
'William Burns ranks among the foremost American diplomats of his generation, serving five presidents and 10 secretaries of state. His memoir is a plain-spoken defence of an unfashionable craft. It is also a testament to the perils of wishful thinking in US foreign policy . . . refreshingly candid.'
'Bill Burns is a treasure of American diplomacy who I had the honour of watching in action and working closely with . . . In The Back Channel, Burns provides another great act of public service by giving us a smart, plain-spoken account of America's changing role in the world and the power and purpose of American diplomacy at its best.'
'From one of America's consummate diplomats, an incisive and sorely needed case for the revitalisation of our diplomacy--what Burns wisely describes as our "tool of first resort."'
'A reflective and candid story of a professional diplomat par excellence who deployed insight and inquisitiveness, skill and strength to advance Americas interests. Told with humour and humility, The Back Channel brings all the behind the scenes efforts into the light, and brings readers into the room to share the journey of a talented, tough minded diplomat who served as conduit and catalyst in making America stronger.'
'The Back Channel is a masterfully written memoir from one of America's most accomplished and respected diplomats. Ambassador Burns not only offers a vivid account of how American diplomacy works, he also puts forward a compelling vision for its future that will surely inspire new generations to follow his incredible example.'
'Bill Burns is a stellar exemplar of the grand tradition of Wise Americans who made our country the indispensable nation in this world. The Back Channel shows how diplomacy works, why it matters, and why its recent demise is so tragic.'
'The Back Channel deserves to be widely read - a great book filled with fascinating stories and the kind of wisdom that is sorely needed these days.'
'Bill Burns' penchant for record-keeping paired with his colourful writing style combine to produce a compelling, fast-paced, and witty narrative . . . This book is soon to become necessary reading for America's next generation of diplomats.'
'The Back Channel demonstrates [Burn's] rare and precious combination of strategic insight and policy action. It is full of riveting historical detail but, more importantly, of shrewd insights.'
'Bill Burns, one of the most respected diplomats of the post-Cold War years, has now written what I regard as the best diplomatic memoir of that period.'
'[Burns'] beautifully written book, rich in pen portraits, anecdote and description, is also a meticulous record of three and a half decades of diplomatic history.' * The Irish Times *
