Fred Kaplan
@fredmkaplan.bsky.social
Slate's War Stories columnist; author of The Bomb, Dark Territory, The Insurgents, 1959, Daydream Believers, The Wizards of Armageddon, and--most recently--A Capital Calamity (a novel); also jazz critic for Tracking Angle.
I wrote this @Slate column (calling for the break-up of DHS, including CBP) 7 years ago, but it does seem particularly relevant today.
January 9, 2026 at 5:28 PM
I wrote this @Slate column (calling for the break-up of DHS, including CBP) 7 years ago, but it does seem particularly relevant today.
Again, you’re misreading my earlier column. I said at the time (in the column and to your comment) that Trump clearly wanted to oust Maduro, but that Maduro was doing things (shadow fleets, etc) that drew sanctions even from Biden.
January 7, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Again, you’re misreading my earlier column. I said at the time (in the column and to your comment) that Trump clearly wanted to oust Maduro, but that Maduro was doing things (shadow fleets, etc) that drew sanctions even from Biden.
I didn’t dispute that Trump wanted regime change. My point was that Maduro’s dark-fleet practices (which hadn’t been widely covered) might have justified seizure of the Skipper, regardless (Biden sanctioned that ship).
December 17, 2025 at 1:43 PM
I didn’t dispute that Trump wanted regime change. My point was that Maduro’s dark-fleet practices (which hadn’t been widely covered) might have justified seizure of the Skipper, regardless (Biden sanctioned that ship).