Frederick Deknatel
@freddydeknatel.bsky.social
Journalist, fellow at Century International, editor of Hidden Cities: https://hiddencities.substack.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
Pinned
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...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
A stark and harrowing new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri:
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
A stark and harrowing new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri:
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
“If Egypt has taught me anything, it is that wisdom prefers short paths: a proverb on the tongue, a true measure in the hand, a heart that seeks sincerity and the old confidence that whatever is aligned with truth will last.”
@ysl.bsky.social
hiddencities.substack.com/p/the-ancien...
@ysl.bsky.social
hiddencities.substack.com/p/the-ancien...
The Ancient, Enduring Wisdom of Egyptian Aphorisms
A Lineage of Brief Counsel From Ptahhotep to Ibn ʿAṭā’ Allāh
hiddencities.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:13 AM
“If Egypt has taught me anything, it is that wisdom prefers short paths: a proverb on the tongue, a true measure in the hand, a heart that seeks sincerity and the old confidence that whatever is aligned with truth will last.”
@ysl.bsky.social
hiddencities.substack.com/p/the-ancien...
@ysl.bsky.social
hiddencities.substack.com/p/the-ancien...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
“For all their utopian dreams, the megaprojects championed by MBS don’t signal the future, but rather the trap represented by Saudi Arabia’s political economy,” @freddydeknatel.bsky.social writes.
MBS’ Vanity Projects Are Bleeding Saudi Arabia Dry
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford Mohammed bin Salman’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump.
www.worldpoliticsreview.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
“For all their utopian dreams, the megaprojects championed by MBS don’t signal the future, but rather the trap represented by Saudi Arabia’s political economy,” @freddydeknatel.bsky.social writes.
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
"For all their utopian dreams, the megaprojects championed by MBS don’t signal the future, but the trap represented by Saudi Arabia’s political economy."
Megaproject fiascos, an overdrawn sovereign wealth fund and speculative, crony real estate schemes won’t create MBS's “thriving economy.”
Megaproject fiascos, an overdrawn sovereign wealth fund and speculative, crony real estate schemes won’t create MBS's “thriving economy.”
November 25, 2025 at 2:22 PM
"For all their utopian dreams, the megaprojects championed by MBS don’t signal the future, but the trap represented by Saudi Arabia’s political economy."
Megaproject fiascos, an overdrawn sovereign wealth fund and speculative, crony real estate schemes won’t create MBS's “thriving economy.”
Megaproject fiascos, an overdrawn sovereign wealth fund and speculative, crony real estate schemes won’t create MBS's “thriving economy.”
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
As per Okaz, this morning the Saudi Central Bank banned all banks and financial institutions in the country try from discussing topics deemed political or sensitive when participating in conferences and fora inside and outside the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford MBS’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump, @freddydeknatel.bsky.social writes.
MBS’ Vanity Projects Are Bleeding Saudi Arabia Dry
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford Mohammed bin Salman’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump.
www.worldpoliticsreview.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:42 PM
As per Okaz, this morning the Saudi Central Bank banned all banks and financial institutions in the country try from discussing topics deemed political or sensitive when participating in conferences and fora inside and outside the Kingdom.
You’ll be shocked to discover that Rubio’s walk-back was a lie. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 25, 2025 at 9:24 PM
You’ll be shocked to discover that Rubio’s walk-back was a lie. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford MBS’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump, @freddydeknatel.bsky.social writes.
MBS’ Vanity Projects Are Bleeding Saudi Arabia Dry
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford Mohammed bin Salman’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump.
www.worldpoliticsreview.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford MBS’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump, @freddydeknatel.bsky.social writes.
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
"Rather than delivering a development dream, MBS may be overseeing the biggest waste of a state’s resources in decades."
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
MBS’ Vanity Projects Are Bleeding Saudi Arabia Dry
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford Mohammed bin Salman’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump.
www.worldpoliticsreview.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:15 PM
"Rather than delivering a development dream, MBS may be overseeing the biggest waste of a state’s resources in decades."
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
"Rather than delivering a development dream, MBS may be overseeing the biggest waste of a state’s resources in decades."
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
MBS’ Vanity Projects Are Bleeding Saudi Arabia Dry
Saudi Arabia can’t even afford Mohammed bin Salman’s follies, let alone the investment into the U.S. he promised Donald Trump.
www.worldpoliticsreview.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:15 PM
"Rather than delivering a development dream, MBS may be overseeing the biggest waste of a state’s resources in decades."
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
My new column on MBS, Trump and the trouble with promising $1 trillion in US investments as billions are wasted on vanity projects at home (sorry, "giga-projects"). Gift link:
Omar El Akkad’s book is indispensable—and now a National
Book Award winner.
Read an excerpt in Hidden Cities:
“It is not so hard to believe, even during the worst of things, that courage is the more potent contagion. That there are more invested in solidarity than annihilation.”
Book Award winner.
Read an excerpt in Hidden Cities:
“It is not so hard to believe, even during the worst of things, that courage is the more potent contagion. That there are more invested in solidarity than annihilation.”
November 25, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Omar El Akkad’s book is indispensable—and now a National
Book Award winner.
Read an excerpt in Hidden Cities:
“It is not so hard to believe, even during the worst of things, that courage is the more potent contagion. That there are more invested in solidarity than annihilation.”
Book Award winner.
Read an excerpt in Hidden Cities:
“It is not so hard to believe, even during the worst of things, that courage is the more potent contagion. That there are more invested in solidarity than annihilation.”
A stark and harrowing new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri:
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
A stark and harrowing new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri:
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza. We couldn’t rescue our brothers.”
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
The most sinister version of this meme imaginable.
November 24, 2025 at 3:22 PM
The most sinister version of this meme imaginable.
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
“Ismael, where are you? Are you okay?”
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
‘Come Rescue Your Brother.’ Life and Loss in Gaza
Ibrahim tried to reassure me, saying everything would be okay, but my gut told me otherwise.
hiddencities.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
“Ismael, where are you? Are you okay?”
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
Trump’s “peace plan” for Ukraine was actually a Russian wishlist? Where would you ever get that idea? 🤔 www.axios.com/2025/11/20/t...
November 23, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Trump’s “peace plan” for Ukraine was actually a Russian wishlist? Where would you ever get that idea? 🤔 www.axios.com/2025/11/20/t...
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza.”
A new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri—”of love lost and life interrupted.” hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
A new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri—”of love lost and life interrupted.” hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
‘Come Rescue Your Brother.’ Life and Loss in Gaza
Ibrahim tried to reassure me, saying everything would be okay, but my gut told me otherwise.
hiddencities.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 PM
“This is the story of so many of us in Gaza.”
A new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri—”of love lost and life interrupted.” hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
A new essay in Hidden Cities by Yahya Al Masri—”of love lost and life interrupted.” hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
“Ismael, where are you? Are you okay?”
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
‘Come Rescue Your Brother.’ Life and Loss in Gaza
Ibrahim tried to reassure me, saying everything would be okay, but my gut told me otherwise.
hiddencities.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
“Ismael, where are you? Are you okay?”
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
It wasn’t Ismael who answered. It was his 10-year-old son, Nabil.
“Yes, my uncle, please come rescue your brother,” he said, his little voice trembling.
Yahya Al Masri's new essay in Hidden Cities:
hiddencities.substack.com/p/come-rescu...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
every so-called moderate who refused to endorse Mamdani for whatever nonsense reasoning around The Deep-Red Heartland must be spiraling rn bsky.app/profile/fred...
It's priceless that 86 Democrats, including leadership, voted for a pathetic Republican messaging bill about the "horrors" of socialism and Zohran just… charmed Trump and got him to gush about FDR and the New Deal.
November 21, 2025 at 9:40 PM
every so-called moderate who refused to endorse Mamdani for whatever nonsense reasoning around The Deep-Red Heartland must be spiraling rn bsky.app/profile/fred...
It's priceless that 86 Democrats, including leadership, voted for a pathetic Republican messaging bill about the "horrors" of socialism and Zohran just… charmed Trump and got him to gush about FDR and the New Deal.
November 21, 2025 at 9:35 PM
It's priceless that 86 Democrats, including leadership, voted for a pathetic Republican messaging bill about the "horrors" of socialism and Zohran just… charmed Trump and got him to gush about FDR and the New Deal.
You can see major American media outlets in real time performing for Trump and the right, which has cowed them into thinking they have a "liberal bias."
Democrats should get more combative in interviews like this — call out TV hosts out for sounding like they work for the White House.
Democrats should get more combative in interviews like this — call out TV hosts out for sounding like they work for the White House.
"That's absolutely a ridiculous assertion. Shame on you for saying that" -- Hakeem Jeffries was not happy when CNBC's Rebecca Quick claimed he actually wants healthcare costs to go up to score political points on Republicans
November 21, 2025 at 2:55 PM
You can see major American media outlets in real time performing for Trump and the right, which has cowed them into thinking they have a "liberal bias."
Democrats should get more combative in interviews like this — call out TV hosts out for sounding like they work for the White House.
Democrats should get more combative in interviews like this — call out TV hosts out for sounding like they work for the White House.
I think we know now what Trump and Putin’s calls have been about:
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
November 21, 2025 at 12:46 PM
I think we know now what Trump and Putin’s calls have been about:
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
It's a censorship engine designed to promote ideas that Elon Musk likes and suppress ideas that Elon Musk does not like. I really don't get why this evident fact - that Musk openly admits! - is so hard for so many people to understand
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
November 21, 2025 at 2:47 AM
It's a censorship engine designed to promote ideas that Elon Musk likes and suppress ideas that Elon Musk does not like. I really don't get why this evident fact - that Musk openly admits! - is so hard for so many people to understand
But trust Bessent, Lutnick and the whole gang, as they’ve been saying since the inauguration, this economy is going to be gangbusters in the next few quarters. 🫡
TEN MONTHS IN:
The national debt is higher.
The trade deficit is wider.
The inflation rate has worsened.
The unemployment rate is up.
The national debt is higher.
The trade deficit is wider.
The inflation rate has worsened.
The unemployment rate is up.
November 21, 2025 at 2:59 AM
But trust Bessent, Lutnick and the whole gang, as they’ve been saying since the inauguration, this economy is going to be gangbusters in the next few quarters. 🫡
"A different reality is being whispered about in the power corridors of Riyadh and Wall Street: The kingdom’s vaunted Public Investment Fund, which Saudi Arabia has typically used to fulfill commitments like the one it made this week in Washington, is running low on cash for new investments."
Saudi Arabia’s Prince Has Big Plans, but His Giant Fund Is Low on Cash
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:04 PM
"A different reality is being whispered about in the power corridors of Riyadh and Wall Street: The kingdom’s vaunted Public Investment Fund, which Saudi Arabia has typically used to fulfill commitments like the one it made this week in Washington, is running low on cash for new investments."
It sounds like job security at CBS News under Bari Weiss depends on whether or not you personally tell her that you have an "affinity for Israel." www.wsj.com/business/med...
November 20, 2025 at 8:56 PM
It sounds like job security at CBS News under Bari Weiss depends on whether or not you personally tell her that you have an "affinity for Israel." www.wsj.com/business/med...
Reposted by Frederick Deknatel
So, I won a National Book Award.
November 20, 2025 at 4:33 PM
So, I won a National Book Award.