Bill Burns
The Diplomat
People, composure and the difficult conversation held well.
Bill Burns is a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience in international relations and policy-making. This interview highlights his focus on navigating complex diplomatic landscapes and the necessity of maintaining values while pursuing national interests.
“I mean, I think here I will put my optimist hat on, although I understand how difficult this is going to be to do. And I'd say three things. First, you do need a political leadership that understands on this international landscape in this era the significance of diplomacy alongside all of our other tools.”
“The New START Treaty, which was a really important step forward, I think. But we didn't have a lot of economic ballast in the relationship. And you also had a Vladimir Putin behind the scenes, still the central decision maker, who became increasingly concerned, I think, especially after the revolution in Libya and Gaddafi's overthrow, you…”
“Yeah, and the truth is the shadow of Iraq 2003 and that strategic disaster hung over, I think, all of our reactions to the Arab Spring and the pace with which those changes came down the pike.”
“Purpose of the administration strategy right now is not really to produce a better nuclear deal, but rather to produce either the capitulation of this Iranian regime or its implosion. And I think those aims are not tethered to history, at least as I've understood it with the audience. We can do a lot of economic damage to Iran.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 325 — Bill Burns
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