Bill Burns, one of our favorite guests, is shortlisted for Secretary of State in the Biden administration. Go, Bill! We're reposting our discussion with him from last year about his book "The Back Channel," which is even more timely now than it was when it was first published. Plus, Pete has a story about his recent visit to Trumpland.  Enjoy!

Hiatus Post - Bill Burns: The Back Channel

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Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, author of “Our Woman in Havana”, unpacks the dire circumstances in Cuba driving hundreds of thousands to flee the island and parses the impacts of South Florida exile politics on US diplomacy: the hammer is the only tool left in the box.

Shakespearean Tragedy: Cuba

What does it mean when open-source data show that huge populations have moved?  Natural disaster?  An attack?  Relocation of children, forced passportization?  Non-classified satellite imagery, cell phone photos, video, GPS and other puiblicly available information is critical to modern diplomacy and democracy. Susan Wolfinbarger, geographer, data scientist and the vision behind the Conflict Observatory at State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, walks us through her dream: big data saves lives.  Welcome to 21st Century diplomacy's newest tool.

Data Saves Lives

Meghan Stewart, head of the Negotiations Support Unit in State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, knows the peace process – its structures, its history, the perspectives of combatants.  Her team uses its specialized knowledge to help diplomats get peace agreements over the line, saving thousands and thousands of lives each time.  Who knew you could devote your legal career exclusively to ending global conflict? 

Professional Peacemaker

Many diplomats urge what the vast majority of voters, including American Jews, want – a restrained Israel and a place for Palestinians.  Former Assistant Secretary Eric Schwartz discusses the letter that he and 67 senior foreign policy professionals recently sent to the White House.  Now in the aftermath of the killing of the World Central Kitchen volunteers, will Biden get tough or will the tail continue to wag the dog?  

Will Biden Listen to His Base?

Our climate: What we do during this decade will determine our climate for a millennium to come. Diplomats not only negotiate multilateral agreements that protect the earth but, even more so, work with nations to follow through on their commitments. But what is the surprising dynamic of domestic politics and global climate policy? And by what mechanisms do market forces impact global action? How does human justice figure in? Ambassador Bob Blake shares the insider view as a climate diplomat.

Hiatus Post - Bill Burns: The Back Channel

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