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.
“Present at the Destruction” might serve as an alternative title to The Back Channel. Burns seethes at the “active sabotage” of the state department under President Donald Trump. He highlights the hubris of President George W Bush’s decision to invade Iraq, “the original sin” that sacrificed US influence in the Middle East. He is sympathetic but critical of his successor, Barack Obama, who comes across as cool, thoughtful and inflexible.
“After the recklessness of his predecessor, Obama’s mantra of ‘not doing stupid shit’ was a sensible guidance,” writes Burns. “But there were other scatological realities in foreign policy: shit happened too, and reacting to events outside neat policy boxes would be a persistent challenge.”