Ambassador Bill Burns: Can the U.S. Hire the Right Diplomats?

Can the United States hire and retain the right diplomats for the U.S. foreignt service? Three-decade veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation and current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William J. Burns says, "We're still very, very fortunate in being able to attract...the best people of their generation in American society into the foreign service....I honestly do believe that career diplomacy, career American diplomacy offers Americans an opportunity to live a life of significance in the pursuit of American interests and values overseas."

This interview is from the FPA archives.

[Dumpsteret]

American diplomacy is a contradiction in terms. America doesn't do diplomacy, the indispensable exceptional nation we lecture and threaten, never taking anothers concerns into account, the exact opposite of diplomacy.

[rphb]

No, it is quite frankly impossible for Ameirca to hire the right diplomats, because the first conditions for hiring the right diplomat is that he or she have time to do their job well, and being established, getting connected that takes about 10 years, which no US diplomat have as they are all replaced every time a new president comes in.
Hency why it is impossible for the US to hire good diplomats

[yttean]

what's the use if the the US admin don't listen to them at the crucial junctual so what's the use of competent diplomats, e.g durinrg your time(B. Burns) in Russia you said Nyet means Nyet.

[willem]

Bad luck. Integrity is not for sale....