Ross Mackenzie
Tribune Media

Brief comments, direct or implied, on items currently in the news....

Mosab Hassan Yousef, eldest child of one of the founders of Hamas, turned on his father and the mindless terror of Islamofascism to become a majorly productive spy for Israel’s domestic intelligence service, the Shin Bet. In 2007, Yousef moved to the U.S., converted to Christianity, and wrote about his tergiversation in a riveting book — “Son of Hamas.” On June 30, at a deportation hearing, the Obama administration belatedly dropped its legal effort to return him to Palestine and certain death. Question: Why on earth did the administration even consider extraditing Yousef — an abiding friend of Middle East peace?

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(a) Virginia has won the first round in its legal case against the constitutionality of the “individual mandate” in ObamaCare legislation – namely, the bill’s stipulation that individual taxpayers must buy health insurance for themselves and their families. A federal judge now will hear the case on its merits. (b) In a referendum, 70 percent of Missouri’s voters say they resent being told by the federales they have to buy anything – whether health insurance or a bag of barbells. Ultimately, the Supreme Court will decide. Stay tuned.

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Fittingly in fatigues as opposed to dress blues, Gen. Stanley McChrystal has quietly retired from the Army. He had a stellar career, helping win the Iraq War and – at the end – commanding NATO forces in Afghanistan. Now, ambushed by a leftist freelancer for a rock magazine, he is gone. If Gen. McChrystal writes a book, perhaps he will explain the seemingly inexplicable – i.e., why he gave the free-lancer even so much as the time of day, let alone even a nod that he exists.

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Another ambuscade of U.S. strategy and tactics in Afghanistan apparently was launched by Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning, 22. He is alleged to have been the key player in the WikiLeaks e-mail escapade. In case you missed it, the London Daily Telegraph reports Manning was moved to give WikiLeaks 91,000 classified military e-mails in part because (according to his own Facebook entry) he was “livid” over being “lectured” by an “ex-boyfriend.” No, don’t ask.

Ross Mackenzie may be contacted at rmackenzie@tribune.com.