Who Is William Burns, Nominated By Joe Biden As CIA Head?

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday nominated William J Burns as head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). If his nomination is confirmed by the Senate, he will become the first career diplomat to take the post of CIA director.

Who is William Burns and why is his nomination significant?

Burns retired from the US Foreign Service in 2014 after service for 33 years and holds the highest rank in the service – that of a career diplomat. Currently, Burns is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an international affairs think tank and has previously served as the US deputy secretary of state. Burns has served five US presidents (both Democrats and Republicans) in his more than 30-year long diplomatic career.

Biden in a statement said, “Bill Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure.”

Burns is a consummate professional full of integrity who will bring the facts and independence that our national security demands, the transition said.

“Whether its cyber attacks emanating from Moscow, the challenge China poses, or the threat we face from terrorists and other non-state actors, he has the experience and skill to marshal efforts across government and around the world to ensure the CIA is positioned to protect the American people,” the transition said.

Burns, Biden said, shares his profound belief that intelligence must be apolitical and that the dedicated intelligence professionals serving the nation deserve their 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,” Biden said.

“Keeping our nation safe and secure requires intelligence that is apolitical and puts the American people first.  A national security expert with decades of experience serving under Democratic and Republican presidents, Ambassador Bill Burns has a deep understanding of the global threats and challenges facing our country,” Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said.

“He will lead the CIA with independence and integrity, always honouring our nation’s intelligence professionals. And President-elect Joe Biden and I will work closely with Ambassador Burns — and our entire national security team — to prevent and prevail over any threat against the United States of America,” she said.

Why is Burns perfect for the position?

Burns is a crisis-tested public servant who has spent his career working to keep Americans safe and secure. Prior to his tenure as Deputy Secretary of State, he served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2008 to 2011, US Ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2008, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from 2001 to 2005, and US Ambassador to Jordan from 1998 to 2001.

He was also executive secretary of the State Department and special assistant to former Secretaries of State Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright; minister-counselor for political affairs at the US embassy in Moscow; acting director and principal deputy director of the State Department’s policy planning staff; and special assistant to the president and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs at the National Security Council.

Burns has received three Presidential Distinguished Service Awards and the highest civilian honours from the Pentagon and the US intelligence community.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from LaSalle University and master’s and doctoral degrees in international relations from Oxford University, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar.

With PTI inputs