Biden Chooses Former U.S. Ambassador To Russia William Burns As CIA Director
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden says he has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns, who once served as ambassador to Russia, to be the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Screenshot from YouTube.
This article was originally published Jan. 11, 2021, on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden says he has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns, who once served as ambassador to Russia, to be the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
“Bill Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure,” Biden said in a statement on January 11.
“He shares my profound belief that intelligence must be apolitical and that the dedicated intelligence professionals serving our nation deserve our gratitude and respect. Ambassador Burns will bring the knowledge, judgment, and perspective we need to prevent and confront threats before they can reach our shores. The American people will sleep soundly with him as our next CIA Director.”
In his 33-year diplomatic career, Burns was also the U.S. ambassador to Jordan and a lead negotiator in the secret talks that paved the way to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under former Democratic President Barack Obama. Burns has said he would restore the nuclear deal with other major global powers that Trump pulled the United States out of in 2018.
The 64-year-old diplomat is currently the president of the international affairs think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and has written articles critical of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Biden’s pick to lead the CIA comes as he races to get a national security team into place after the transition was delayed by outgoing President Trump contesting Biden’s November election victory.
Copyright (c)2020 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
Coffee or Die is Black Rifle Coffee Company’s online lifestyle magazine. Launched in June 2018, the magazine covers a variety of topics that generally focus on the people, places, or things that are interesting, entertaining, or informative to America’s coffee drinkers — often going to dangerous or austere locations to report those stories.
Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.
Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.
Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.
Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.
A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.
Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.
For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.
Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.
