The earlier Blast e-mail addressing the issue of Global-Warming cited two separate studies claiming

one of the biggest thresholds has already been reached; the West Antarctic ice sheet has begun to melt,
a process that scientists estimate may take centuries but that could eventually raise sea levels by as
much as 14 feet. It is irrelevant, in this regard, that USA has actually been COOLING since 1930s [the
hottest decade on record] or that global warming was 'Fabricated' by Scientists at two of the worlds
leading climate centres [NASA and NOAA], for the major concerns are global and may be trending
acutely. Of greater import is the claim that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Is Really Melting because it has
a volcano underneath. A point-by-point rejoinder was promptly generated [Hank Paulson: As Wrong
about Climate Change as he was about The Crash]. {A verdict from my son is pending.}

During tonights Heritage Action phone-update, it was confirmed thatfor nowit
seems the Export-Import Bank wont be reauthorized [c/o support from the new-Whip].
This is timely, because Officials at Ex-Im Bank Face Probes, where four officials have
been suspended or removed during recent months amid investigations into allegations
of gifts and kickbacks, as well as attempts to steer federal contracts to favored
companies. One employee allegedly accepted cash payments in exchange for trying to
help a Florida company obtain U.S. government financing to export construction
equipment to Latin America. He was escorted out of the Ex-Im Bank building in April.

Over the weekend, I had an e-mail exchange with Arlene Kushner, who was encouraged to upload her
daily essays ASAP so that they can be most-easily hyperlinked; today, for example, note her unique
observations [that, I argue, she may wish to compile in book-form, just as did Caroline Glick]; she wrote
that her priority is http://wehavelegalgrounds.org/, an effort to promulgate an explanation for why
Israel has a justifiable legal claim for exerting sovereignty over Judea/Samaria, for now. Note her
casually unique insights that are not prominent elsewhere and that illustrate key-concepts]:

The Middle East, with the singular exception of a stable, prosperous, democratic Israel,
is in a state of turmoil and transition with enormous violence and instability the
norm. We are seeing Sunni-Shia tensions, increasing radicalism, and the break-down of
borders. And the situation is only growing more severe and more convoluted. One of
the most serious aspects of the current scenario is that it is devoid of good guys. Its
simply a question of who is less problematic, less dangerous for Israeli and Western
interests, and sometimes thats a hard if not impossible call.

{I sent her a hyperlink to my op-ed: America Must Recognize Kurdistan -
Jewish Policy Center.}

Weve seen this in Syria for some time: Assad is a vile dictator, with no concern
whatsoever for the lives of his own people and a solid alliance with Iran. While many of
the rebels arrayed against him are jihadists who are seeking a cross-border caliphate
that is a lethal proposition.

Today we see it as well in Iraq with the brutal onslaught of ISIS there. A ruthless Sunni,
jihadist, al-Qaeda off-shoot (now a rival of al-Qaeda) that began in Iraq, ISIS established
itself in Syria after the civil war began, becoming a significant rebel force there. Now it
is moving against the regime of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shia-dominated
government - traveling across swaths of Iraq with lightening speed, taking territory and
towns in the north and west of Iraq, and approaching ever closer to Baghdad.

Yesterday, the post of Turaibil, at the Iraqi border with Jordan was taken by ISIS,
presenting a threat to the stability of Jordan.

~~~~~~~~~~

ISIS is commonly referred to as an acronym meaning Islamic state in Syria and Iraq. But
the Arabic - al-Sham - could just as well refer to the Levant (the eastern
Mediterranean), which means that Lebanon and Israel are also in its sites, as is
Jordan. Sometimes it is referred to as ISIL.

~~~~~~~~~~
With all of this however, there is yet another serious problem to be confronted: Iran,
which is Shia, is attempting to influence events in Iraq to its benefit. Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani promised Maliki Iran's full support just days ago.

As well, Iran provides assistance to Shiite militia in Iraq. All of this strongly suggests the
possibility of Iran achieving control in or undue influence over Iraq.

This rings loud bells in Jerusalem. One of the main reasons there has been Israeli
opposition to Assad, in his struggle against jihadist rebels, is because he is an Iranian
puppet. Were Iran to move into Iraq in a significant way, it would create an Iranian arc
of influence that stretched from Iran itself through Iraq and through Syria to our
border. And it would simplify the shipment of armaments from Iran to Hezbollah in
Lebanon.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thus it is greatly worrisome to the Israeli government that the US seems to be reaching
out to Iran, to achieve some sort of joint understanding to limit ISIS. Not only would this
give Iran undue influence in Iraq, it might cause the US to even further weaken its
position in nuclear negotiations. That is, Irans price for controlling ISIS which the US is
very eager to see controlled - might be greater nuclear latitude. A real nightmare.


~~~~~~~~~~

Prime Minister Netanyahu gave an interview on NBCs Meet the Press yesterday
advising the US that, When your enemies are fighting one another, don't strengthen
either one of them." Weaken them both, he said. He addressed his serious concerns
about the possibility of allowing Iran nuclear weapons: "Iran could come out with
nuclear weapons capability it would make everything else pale in comparison."

{I quoted this in the immediate-past Blast e-mail.}

~~~~~~~~~~
At our northern border with Syria (on the Syrian Golan) there is a considerable rebel
presence. Yesterday, an anti-tank missile was shot from Syria into Israel, hitting a
civilian vehicle. Two people were wounded and a teenage boy, Muhammad Karaka, an
Israeli Druze from the village of Arrabe, was killed. His father, Fahmi is a contractor who
works in the area for the Ministry of Defense.

The missile seemed to have come from a rebel area, or an area that is contested
militarily. But Israel has determined that the government of Assad is responsible, and
late last night launched attacks on nine Syrian military sites, with at least 10 Syrian
soldiers killed.
~~~~~~~~~~

There is no substantial change in the search for the kidnapped boys. The operation
continues apace. One of the things I have found interesting about the intensive search
being done for the boys in Judea and Samaria (largely in the Hevron area) is the
uncovering and exploring of hidden places: caves, dried wells and cisterns, tunnels and
other excavated places. The goal, of course, is to find the students, who may be hidden
in such a place.

But the secondary result of this exploration is to locate hidden terrorist supplies and
weapons laboratories, as well as to expose secret places where fugitive terrorists might
hide (or, in some cases, were hiding). I heard a news report a few days ago about a
hidden excavation under a house that was uncovered and turned out to be large enough
(and was apparently sufficiently well stocked) to provide hiding for many weeks. There
are tunnels dug under washing machines and stoves. The mind boggles a bit at the
complex labyrinth of hidden places that has been set up and drawn upon as part of the
terrorist infrastructure.

~~~~~~~~~~

Then there are the forked tongue proceedings of Mahmoud Abbas. Hes playing both
ends against the middle, as is his usual practice. He feels constrained by world opinion
to condemn the kidnappings (all such condemnations clearly insincere). He must attend
to this world opinion because funding for the PA is contingent upon positive attitudes
towards the PA in the international community. But at the same time, he feels
constrained by the Palestinian Arab street and his relationship with Hamas to condemn
Israeli efforts to find the boys: we are causing unrest, provoking another intifada, doing
collective punishment, etc. etc.

The recent statement by Amin Maqboul, member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council,
reflects this situation. The Palestinian street, he says, overwhelmingly supports the
kidnappings, if the goal is to secure the release of prisoners. While Abbas sometimes
makes statements that are unacceptable to our people. But the purpose [of these
statements] is to spare the Palestinian people the dangers of Israeli aggression and
reactions of the international community.

~~~~~~~~~~
Khaled Abu Toameh has written about unrest in the PA streets directed at Abbas and
the PA:

What happened in the center of Ramallah on the morning of June 22
could signal the beginning of an uprising, or intifada, against the
Palestinian Authority [PA].

The incident began when hundreds of angry Palestinian youths
attacked the headquarters of the Palestinian policy in the city in protest
against ongoing security coordination between the PA security forces
and Israel...

The attackers were particularly furious with the Palestinian policemen
who stayed inside their offices as Israel Defense Force soldiers entered
Ramallah in the context of a manhunt to find three kidnapped Israeli
youths.

~~~~~~~~~~

I note here that the resident of the White House has not deemed it necessary, to this
day, to issue a clear and public condemnation of Hamas for the kidnapping. Situations
such as the one we are currently facing serve the role of exposing duplicity and true
intentions. What makes Obamas silence all the more vile and reprehensible is that one
of the boys Naftali Frenkel - has US citizenship. The US government should be at the
forefront of efforts to find him.

Mike Huckabee former governor of Arkansas and talk show host - arrived in Israel
yesterday. And he provided a sterling example of how to be a mensch a person who
stands up and does the right thing. For he immediately went to the Frenkel home to
offer words of support and comfort.

"Americans need to hear this story, he said. This is an American citizen, this is one of
us. And even if he wasn't this should not happen to any young man or to any parent...

When asked by Arutz Sheva about the United States' call, last week, for restraint on
both sides, Huckabee said What's to restrain? What are the Israelis supposed to do?
This to me is nonsense. The only restraint at this point is the restraint by whoever has
these boys to do nothing to hurt them. G-d help those people if they touch a hair on
these boy's heads... I think the Israelis have every right to say and America should join
this message you touch that boy who's an American citizen and you will have hell to
pay for it. That should be the only message we are sending right now.

~~~~~~~~~~

I close with this painful news, which has just been released, as a Shin Bet gag order has
been lifted: In May, the Hamas terrorist Ziad Awad was arrested for the terrorist murder
of Baruch Mizrachi on the eve of Pesach, outside of Hevron. What a horrible scene that
was Mizrachi, his wife and kids were on their way to a seder.

Ziad has been charged with the murder; his son, charged as an accessory, has also been
arrested. It was the son who presented security personnel with the Kalashnikov rifle
that was the murder weapon. Ziad had told his son that, whoever kills a Jew goes to
heaven. (Emphasis added)

The most horrendous part of this is that Ziad Awad was one of the terrorists released in
the trade for Gilad Shalit.

Pennsyl vania:
Ex-prosecutors dispute AG-Kane claim of 2 ignored Sandusky victims
Corbett issues statement on Sandusky report
Sandusky's wife: Prosecution report isn't truthful
GOP chairman: Kane used Sandusky 'tragedy' to 'smear' Corbett

POLITICAL MATH TOUGH WHEN IT COMES TO PA PENSION REFORM

Islamism:
UPDATE: DEATH SENTENCE FOR SUDANESE CHRISTIAN MOTHER REVERSED!
Judge Jeanine on Obama: 'You Didnt Have the Balls' to Prosecute Terrorists in Gitmo
Eight Bangladesh Islamists to Hang for 2001 Bombing
BOKO HARAM STRIKES NEAR CHIBOK, KILLING DOZENS AND 'TORCHING HOMES'
The West Must Stand with Muslim Feminists Against Sexual Violence

Culture-Wars:
MAMET STOPS PLAY WHEN MAN CAST AS FEMALE LEAD
State Dept. Honors Advocate of Destruction of Marriage

Middle East:
Iraqi Leaders Seeking Replacement for Maliki
Is Lebanon ISIS's Next Target?
Iran and Kurds Facilitate Inaction by Administration
Obama: Just Because Iraq Was Stable 2 Years Ago Doesn't Mean It Is Now
Woodward: Generals Were on their Knees Begging Obama to Keep Some Troops in Iraq
Obama Sending Troops Who Could Be Prosecuted in Iraqi Courts
Feinstein: Rise of ISIS in Iraq a Surprise to US Intel
Rand Paul: We Are Creating a Jihadist Wonderland In Iraq
With Iraqi Military Facing Collapse, Shia Fighters Begin to Fill Void
Petraeus Backs Strikes Against 'Terrorist Army' ISIS in Iraq
Dick Cheney Slams 'Isolationist' Rand Paul on Iraq

Illegals:
Cruz: Obama's 'Lawless Amnesty' Is a 'Violation His Constitutional Obligation'
MA State Senator: We Learned About Illegals on 'Social Media'
DHS TO PARENTS SENDING UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN TO USA: THERE ARE NO FREE PASSES
GOODLATTE: SURGE COULD GET WORSE
House Dems Introduce Bill to Provide Taxpayer-Funded Lawyers to Illegal Immigrant Kids
Former ICE Director on Illegal Immigrant Children: 'They Almost Never Go Home'
House minority leader Pelosi scolded House Speaker John Boehner for referring to the flood of
children crossing the United States border to the south as aliens.

Politics:
'Morning Joe' Panel: Hillary 'Tone Deaf' on Wealth
HILLARY REJECTED AMB. STEVENS' PLEAS FOR MORE BENGHAZI SECURITY
Chelsea to Work for Clinton Foundation, just Can't 'Care' About Money

BIDEN: I HAVE NO SAVINGS ACCOUNT; FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE SAYS OTHERWISE

Cochran Campaign Staffer Arrested For Stealing Campaign Signs
Exclusive - Ron Paul: Establishment 'Panicking' That McDaniel May Become US Senator
ESTABLISHMENTS ALEXANDER DIGS IN ON AMNESTY

RNC Lists Bills for Working Families Supposedly-Bipartisan White House Won't Support
Right to Work Laws Cover 72% of Auto Production

Media:
Halperin: 'Democrat' President Is Why IRS Scandal Not Media 'Obsession'

The IRS watchdog that uncovered the IRS tea party controversy last year has launched
an investigation into the disappeared IRS emails, according to prepared remarks set for
delivery by IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "The Treasury Inspector General for Tax
Administration has already begun an investigation of this matter and his report will
provide an independent review of the situation concerning Ms. Lerner's computer crash
three years ago," Koskinen will say at a House Oversight and Government Reform
hearing Monday night. The IRS told congressional investigators that Lois Lerner, the
former head of the tax exempt division that singled out conservative groups, lost two
years of emails in a 2011 computer crash.

Miscellaneous:
Obama Walks To Chipotle In D.C. For Lunch, Customers Ignore Him
Kosovo Police Clash with Protesters in Tense North