William J. Burns is president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He served in numerous posts in the State Department in a career spanning more than 30 years. Burns was deputy secretary of state from 2011 until 2014, and before that assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs from 2001 until 2005. He was ambassador to Jordan from 1998 until 2001 and served as ambassador to Russia between 2005 and 2008. Burns became president of Carnegie in February 2015. In late July, Diwan sat with him to get his perspective on a wide variety of Middle Eastern issues, including the U.S. role in the region, the Iranian nuclear deal, Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, and what Burns views as the most significant long-term threats to regional stability.
The Wages of Dysfunction
Carnegie President William J. Burns discusses the Middle East and what the future may hold for a troubled region.
by Blair Scott
More work from Diwan
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What Kind of Future for Iran?In an interview, Karim Sadjadpour discusses the possible scenarios once Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leaves the scene.
The New Struggle for SyriaThe country is caught between Turkish–Gulf support and Israel’s favoring of fragmentation.
- Mohamad Fawaz
Oil and Geopolitical StabilityIn an interview, Ziad Daoud discusses how global economic dynamics are putting pressure on Gulf petroleum producers.
An Automated Occupation in South LebanonIsraeli drones are taking on a variety of tasks, including killing people, searching bags, and guiding spies working on Israel’s behalf.
- Mohanad Hage Ali,
- Mohamad Najem
