Howard Stoffer, Ph.D.

Howard Stoffer Headshot
Professor

International Affairs
National Security Department
Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences
Education

Ph.D. Columbia University, 1980

M.Phil, Columbia University, 1975  

M.A., Columbia University, 1974

Certificates, Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, 1974

B.A., Columbia College, Columbia University, 1971

About Howard

Dr. Stoffer served in the Foreign Service of the United States from 1980 to 2005, retiring as a member of the Senior Foreign Service of the Department of State. He served for seven years as the Deputy Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate of the United Nations Security Council. His research interests focus on American national security, including nuclear arms control, U.S. policies in the Middle East, Russia, China and the Koreas as well as counter-terrorism institutions of the United Nations and other diplomatic matters. While in the Foreign Service, Dr. Stoffer has lived in Moscow, Tel Aviv, Beijing, Oslo Norway, Geneva for nuclear negotiations, Stockholm for conventional forces negotiations, and at the U.S. Mission to the UN before joining the Secretariat in 2005 for eight years.

Stoffer has traveled extensively over the years to Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Australia, including serving in a peacekeeping operation in the Sinai between Egypt and Israel.

Courses Taught
  • CJ 455 History of the United Nations
  • NSP 671 History of the United Nations
  • CJ 455 United Nations and Counter-Terrorism
  • CJ 670 United Nations and Counter-Terrorism

In the Media

In the Media

LiveNOW from Fox: Netanyahu denounces claims Israel bombed itself

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security, discusses claims made by the Palestinian Authority that Israel bombed their own people on October 7 at a music festival near Gaza. Stoffer says this is similar to the claim it was the U.S. government that carried out the 9-11 attack in order to justify going after terrorists.

In the Media

WTIC News Talk 1080: Brian & Company

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, talks about the reaction to a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the United States, which caused the cancellation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s planned trip to China.

In the Media

WTIC 1080: Brian and Company

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, discusses the meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China during the G20 summit.

In the Media

NBC Connecticut: Nuclear Threat

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, discusses the criminal threat that Vladimir Putin made regarding the use of nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine.

In the Media

Politico: How Biden bungled the Pelosi trip

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, comments on the mixed messages from the White House on the House Speaker’s trip to Taiwan amid threats from the Chinese government.

In the Media

Eyewitness News 3: How will this end?

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, talks live with Mark Zinni about the war in Ukraine and President Biden's trip to Brussels with other NATO leaders.

In the Media

CNN: Russia Keeps Up Attacks Despite Pledge to Scale Back

Vahid Behzadan, assistant professor of cybersecurity, computer and electrical engineering; Declan Hill, associate professor of investigations; Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs; David Sacco, a practitioner in residence of finance; and Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, took part in a panel discussion on the war in Ukraine and it’s impact. The special program was part of collaboration with WFSB, with the show airing on WFSB+ and WFSB’s Facebook page.

In the Media

Eyewitness News 3: ANSWER DESK SPECIAL REPORT TONIGHT: Crisis in Ukraine

Vahid Behzadan, assistant professor of cybersecurity, computer and electrical engineering; Declan Hill, associate professor of investigations; Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs; David Sacco, a practitioner in residence of finance; and Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, took part in a panel discussion on the war in Ukraine and its impact. The special program was part of collaboration with WFSB, with the show airing on WFSB+ and WFSB’s Facebook page.

In the Media

CNA: Invasion of Ukraine

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security, discusses the latest updates on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and NATO's troops being deployed for the first time.

In the Media

Mishpacha: 9/11 Twenty Years On

Howard Stoffer, professor of national security, discusses his experience on September 11, 2001, as deputy executive director at the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate of the United Nations Security Council.

In the Media

CBN News: The Global Lane

Howard Stoffer, associate professor of national security, talks about how the Biden administration will address the state of affairs with Israel.

In the Media

BBC News: Hunt for Bin Laden’s Son

Howard Stoffer, a former U.S. Foreign Service officer and associate professor of national security at the University, speaks about the motivations of Hamza bin Latin and about the shifting dynamics within al-Qaeda.

WTIC-AM: Howard Stoffer on Poisoning of Ex-Russian Spy

Howard Stoffer, associate professor of national security, discusses the U.K.'s reaction to the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy and his daughter, including the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, and how poisonings of ex-Russian spies have been perpetrated by Russia for decades.

China US Focus: The Wrong Adversary

Howard Stoffer, associate professor of national security, writes an op-ed about President Trump taking an adversarial approach to China on trade, currency, regional influence, and on reigning in North Korea.