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International Centre for Defence and Security Accessibility

Paul B Stares

Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention and Director of the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations

Paul B. Stares is the General John W Vessey Senior Fellow for conflict prevention and Director of the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). An expert on conflict prevention and a regular commentator on current affairs, he is the author or editor of nine books on US security policy and international relations. His most recent book is Preventive Engagement: How America Can Avoid War, Stay Strong, and Keep the Peace. Prior to joining the CFR, Mr Stares was Vice President and Director of the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention at the United States Institute of Peace. He has also held numerous senior research positions at various organisations, including at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation, the Japan Institute for International Affairs, the Brookings Institution, and the MacArthur Foundation's Moscow Office. 
Updated: April 25, 2025