Frederick Deknatel
@freddydeknatel.bsky.social
Journalist, fellow at Century International, editor of Hidden Cities: https://www.hidden-cities.com/
Previously: Founding executive editor, Democracy in Exile @dawnmenaorg.bsky.social; managing editor @wpr.bsky.social; staff editor @foreignaffairs.com
Previously: Founding executive editor, Democracy in Exile @dawnmenaorg.bsky.social; managing editor @wpr.bsky.social; staff editor @foreignaffairs.com
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Frederick Deknatel - The Century Foundation
Frederick Deknatel is a journalist, editor and fellow at Century International, where he writes about Middle Eastern affairs. From 2021 to 2025, he was
tcf.org
I'm thrilled to join the Century Foundation as a fellow at Century International, where I'll be writing on Syria's future, from the huge challenges of reconstruction to the prospects for U.S.-Syria ties after Assad. @centuryintl.bsky.social @tcfdotorg.bsky.social
tcf.org/experts/fred...
tcf.org/experts/fred...
We’re living in this Harold Pinter poem now. This is the national mood.
Harold Pinter’s poem “American Football,” written in 1991 amid the first Gulf War, on my mind for some reason. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2017/ja...
January 5, 2026 at 2:21 AM
We’re living in this Harold Pinter poem now. This is the national mood.
Harold Pinter’s poem “American Football,” written in 1991 amid the first Gulf War, on my mind for some reason. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2017/ja...
January 5, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Harold Pinter’s poem “American Football,” written in 1991 amid the first Gulf War, on my mind for some reason. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2017/ja...
The savvy centrist Democrat view of Venezuela is also the savvy Beltway pundit take.
January 5, 2026 at 1:23 AM
The savvy centrist Democrat view of Venezuela is also the savvy Beltway pundit take.
Last night on CNN, Rahm Emanuel (gifted the title Senior Political and Global Affairs Commentator) was praising the US military’s prowess in Venezuela — an obviously illegal raid with the most bogus of pretexts. In case you were wondering what the savvy centrist Democrat view was.
January 4, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Last night on CNN, Rahm Emanuel (gifted the title Senior Political and Global Affairs Commentator) was praising the US military’s prowess in Venezuela — an obviously illegal raid with the most bogus of pretexts. In case you were wondering what the savvy centrist Democrat view was.
Even after everything in Iraq and Afghanistan, the media still rolls out the euphemism “nation building” instead of occupation.
Iraq wasn’t “nation building,” it was an American occupation! Trump hasn’t uttered the phrase “nation building,” why use it?
Iraq wasn’t “nation building,” it was an American occupation! Trump hasn’t uttered the phrase “nation building,” why use it?
January 4, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Even after everything in Iraq and Afghanistan, the media still rolls out the euphemism “nation building” instead of occupation.
Iraq wasn’t “nation building,” it was an American occupation! Trump hasn’t uttered the phrase “nation building,” why use it?
Iraq wasn’t “nation building,” it was an American occupation! Trump hasn’t uttered the phrase “nation building,” why use it?
As the framers of the Constitution famously intended, a president’s “personal geopolitics.”
New euphemism for "bottomless corruption and naked abuses of power" just dropped
January 4, 2026 at 12:25 PM
As the framers of the Constitution famously intended, a president’s “personal geopolitics.”
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
AOC: it’s about oil and regime change
Trump: it’s about oil and regime change
Commentariat: AOC is too extreme to be president
Trump: it’s about oil and regime change
Commentariat: AOC is too extreme to be president
It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 AM
AOC: it’s about oil and regime change
Trump: it’s about oil and regime change
Commentariat: AOC is too extreme to be president
Trump: it’s about oil and regime change
Commentariat: AOC is too extreme to be president
Trump calls both the Times and the Post “the enemy of the people.”
🟡 NEW: The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops.
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid
The American news organizations held their stories over concerns about endangering US troops.
www.semafor.com
January 4, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Trump calls both the Times and the Post “the enemy of the people.”
“The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops.” www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid
The American news organizations held their stories over concerns about endangering US troops.
www.semafor.com
January 4, 2026 at 11:53 AM
“The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops.” www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
Trump now literally plagiarizing from the neocon playbook on Iraq:
January 3, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Trump now literally plagiarizing from the neocon playbook on Iraq:
“Rarely in the era of mass media has U.S. imperialism been as unsubtle or as blatant, defying the impulses of foreign-policy experts to overcomplicate what is unfolding before our eyes.” @attackerman.bsky.social www.forever-wars.com/a-criminal-e...
A Criminal Empire
The United States launches a conquest and occupation of Venezuela to extract its oil wealth. The neocon dream is the America First dream
www.forever-wars.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:12 PM
“Rarely in the era of mass media has U.S. imperialism been as unsubtle or as blatant, defying the impulses of foreign-policy experts to overcomplicate what is unfolding before our eyes.” @attackerman.bsky.social www.forever-wars.com/a-criminal-e...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
Pleased to speak with @charliesavage.bsky.social about how the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela breaches the UN Charter and the Take Care Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Legal Issues Raised by Trump’s Seizure of Maduro, Explained
The operation revives disputes over the legality of the 1989 Panama intervention, enhanced by President Trump’s vow to “run” Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro’s formal status as president.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/u...
The operation revives disputes over the legality of the 1989 Panama intervention, enhanced by President Trump’s vow to “run” Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro’s formal status as president.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/u...
Legal Issues Raised by Trump’s Seizure of Maduro, Explained
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Pleased to speak with @charliesavage.bsky.social about how the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela breaches the UN Charter and the Take Care Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Can’t wait for Rubio to be appointed viceroy of Venezuela to head a new Coalition Provisional Authority staffed by MAGA chuds.
January 3, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Can’t wait for Rubio to be appointed viceroy of Venezuela to head a new Coalition Provisional Authority staffed by MAGA chuds.
“personal liberties and free markets” lol
The Washington Post editorial board comes out in favor of the Venezuela attack/operation to capture Maduro
January 3, 2026 at 7:05 PM
“personal liberties and free markets” lol
It’s uncanny how much Trump is parroting the Bush era. You couldn’t make this up. He obviously has no idea… but he probably will in a few days once the media he consumes catches up.
Q: Is it possible that the US ends up administering Venezuela for years?
TRUMP: Well, you know, it won't cost us anything because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial
TRUMP: Well, you know, it won't cost us anything because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial
January 3, 2026 at 5:41 PM
It’s uncanny how much Trump is parroting the Bush era. You couldn’t make this up. He obviously has no idea… but he probably will in a few days once the media he consumes catches up.
They’re going to tap the kids at Turning Point USA to run the new Coalition Provisional Authority in Caracas:
Trump on Venezuela: "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition"
January 3, 2026 at 5:31 PM
They’re going to tap the kids at Turning Point USA to run the new Coalition Provisional Authority in Caracas:
Trump was a neocon all along.
January 3, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Trump was a neocon all along.
All hail the glorious American occupation of Venezuela! We will be greeted as liberators!
“We’re going to be very strongly involved in it,” Trump says about the future of Venezuela’s oil industry on Fox News
January 3, 2026 at 2:51 PM
All hail the glorious American occupation of Venezuela! We will be greeted as liberators!
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
Here is the editor of Tablet agreeably reposting someone calling nonwhite NYC immigrants "worthless biotrash." It's astonishing how quickly this stuff has escaped containment
January 2, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Here is the editor of Tablet agreeably reposting someone calling nonwhite NYC immigrants "worthless biotrash." It's astonishing how quickly this stuff has escaped containment
Can’t believe the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize would launch a war like this.
January 3, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Can’t believe the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize would launch a war like this.
Just wait, Maduro will pass a flattering letter to Trump through Witkoff or Kushner, and then Trump will pardon him.
January 3, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Just wait, Maduro will pass a flattering letter to Trump through Witkoff or Kushner, and then Trump will pardon him.
Trump’s “cowboy diplomacy,” huh!
January 3, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Trump’s “cowboy diplomacy,” huh!
Donald “George W. Bush” Trump, more and more people are saying.
January 3, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Donald “George W. Bush” Trump, more and more people are saying.
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
Im seeing discussions about consultations with congress, authorizations of force etc. I have to say this transcends any of what I would call sub constitutional technicalities. The president has gone to war with a foreign power and, it seems, kidnapped a foreign head of state on the basis of nothing.
January 3, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Im seeing discussions about consultations with congress, authorizations of force etc. I have to say this transcends any of what I would call sub constitutional technicalities. The president has gone to war with a foreign power and, it seems, kidnapped a foreign head of state on the basis of nothing.
“Once you factor in New York’s relatively low number of auto accidents per capita — because so many people take public transit, which is much safer — it becomes clear that New York has a lower rate of violent death than almost anywhere else in America.” open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
Notes on New York
The Big Apple had a pretty good 2025, but …
open.substack.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:46 PM
“Once you factor in New York’s relatively low number of auto accidents per capita — because so many people take public transit, which is much safer — it becomes clear that New York has a lower rate of violent death than almost anywhere else in America.” open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...