US Politics Analysis: Romney's Team to Republican Convention --- Please, No Fiery Speeches

Mitt Romney speaking on Saturday in Ohio

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Despite the roster of renowned conservative politicians scheduled to speak at the convention, Romney's campaign will aim to present a bland espousal of generic conservative ideas with as little of the controversial and substantial as possible. We will witness a rally for vague concepts like "limited government" and 'individual freedom' designed to present a unified –-- and non-threatening --- Republican face to the rest of the nation.

But the Republican Convention is still important in that it gives Romney one last chance, before the critical television debates with President Obama, to project some personality into his campaign. In his acceptance speech Mitt needs to show that he can empathise with everyday Americans, those who do not employ tax accountants or make small bets of $10,000.

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Iran Opinion: Why Real Negotiations Have Not Occurred --- And Why We Still Need Them (Nedal/Wheeler)

Negotiators Ashton (EU) and Jalili (Iran)For the past 10 years, alarmists have declared vehemently that time is short and should not be wasted on negotiations. Moderates seem almost ready to give up. But this would be a tragic move, not because negotiations stand a chance of succeeding given the dominant mind-sets shaping policy on both sides, but because they are the only thing that stands a chance of preventing the worst possible outcome: war.

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The Latest from Iran (11 August): US Uses Syria for More Sanctions

See also Iran and Syria Audio Feature: Why Tehran's Conference "Stunt" Means Little --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24
The Latest from Iran (10 August): The Regime Fights Isolation

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1955 GMT: Earthquakes in the Northwest. The death toll in the two earthquakes which hit northwest Iran has risen to 180, with 1300 people injured.

The earthquakes, measuring 6.3 and 6.4 on the Richter scale, struck near Tabriz in East Azerbaijan.

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US Politics Analysis: Despite the Economy, Obama Gains Over "Elitist" Romney

Last Friday, the latest unemployment figures revealed that, despite a better-than-expected increase in the number of people starting a new job, the rate rose slightly to 8.3%. Historically, that is bad news for President Obama: no president other than Franklin D. Roosevelt has won an election when unemployment is above 8%. With only thre months left in this campaign, it is highly unlikely to see a fall below that benchmark.

But, despite this, it was a week of good news for Obama's chances  of re-election, as a number of polls showed a slowly-increasing lead in three  battleground states. The numbers from Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio have allowed Obama's campaign to begin speculation that their candidate's support is “trending” in an upward direction. The strategists who decide the content and tone of Obama's re-election message will be delighted that their emphasis on economic fairness appears to be working.

And while these polls will be long forgotten come November, this week also saw a refrain against Mitt Romney gain considerable traction.

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Syria Feature: US Plans for a Post-Assad Country (Myers/Shanker)

Steven Heydemann of the US Institute of Peace, involved with the Obama Administration's manoeuvres for a post-Assad Syria, on the US Public Broadcasting Service, 18 July 2012

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“The main question we’re looking at is how it all plays out after the Assad regime collapses,” one American official said. “Chapter 1 is he’s gone. Chapter 2 is the post-Assad transition, and initial efforts at stabilization. Chapter 3 is completely unknown, and therefore more than a little scary.”

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Syria Revealed: Inside the Obama Administration's Discussions About the Insurgency (Rogin)

President Obama on Phone with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, 31 July 2012The Obama administration very publicly signaled a shift in its approach to dealing with the Syria crisis after negotiations broke down at the United Nations in mid-July.

But the actual details of that shift are still being debated internally and the administration's rhetoric has gotten out ahead of its policy, according to officials, experts, and lawmakers.

Those details are being discussed among a select group of top officials in a closed process managed by National Security Advisor Tom Donilon. Within that group, some officials are arguing for more direct aid to the internal Syrian opposition, including the Free Syrian Army, that would help them better fight the Syrian military.

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US Politics Feature: Amid Campaign Errors, A Virtual Tie for the White House

The image of Mitt Romney, as a man fit for the demanding role of US President, has been seriously buffeted over the last few weeks. His reluctance to release more than two years of his income tax records, followed by the reaction in some circles to his criticism of the London Olympics, have seen a widespread questioning of the competency of his campaign.

But, with 100 days to go before the election, the big news is that --- despite these errors  ---- Mitt Romney is still running in a virtual tie with President Obama for the White House. Obama has also made mistakes, notably ill-worded reminder to successful business owners 'that you did not build it on your own", and polls indicate that voters are sticking with their preferred candidate.

So the impact of these errors on both sides may not become fully apparent until the two meet face-to- face in the Presidential debates.

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Britain-US Audio Feature: So Mitt Romney is Meeting the Prime Minister? --- Scott Lucas with the BBC

There has been a bit of flutter in the British media that Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, in London for the Olympics, is being received by Prime Minister David Cameron. In 2008, candidate Barack Obama did not get as far with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and Cameron turned away François Hollande, now the French leader, earlier this year during the President campaign.

So BBC West Midlands asked, "Is Cameron extending his hand because he has inside info on a Romney victory?" (No.) "Will this damage Cameron's relationship with Obama?" (No.) "Does it make a difference for November's election?" (No.)

The conversation begins at the 1:42.00 mark. 

US Analysis: Why The Tax Returns May Sink the Romney Campaign

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Sadly for Mitt Romney, any valid reasons for not releasing his tax records have now been overwhelmed by the perception of his campaign's inept response. In the business world where he made his fortune, his insistence on the privacy of confidential documents might be a virtue, but in an election for the President of the United States, it has become the vice that may sink him. Even if he does release the records, and even if there is nothing shocking in them, the perception will remain that he has a different idea of the American Dream that he wishes to protect than most of the people he hopes to represent.

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US Audio Feature: The Arizona Sheriff & President Obama's Birth Certificate --- Scott Lucas with the BBC

Photo: Matt York (AP)On Tuesday afternoon, a controversial Arizona sheriff named Joe Arpaio said his "volunteer posse" of investigators had found President Obama's birth certificate is definitely fraudulent. This would disqualify Obama, who was born in Hawaii according to official records, from standing for re-election.

I spoke with BBC WM about the personality and politics behind the diversion of Arpaio, renowned for re-introducing chain gangs and stunts such as pink handcuffs for prisoners.

For example, the more important story --- overlooked in the Associated Press summary of Arpaio's conference --- is that the sheriff is facing a court hearing in a class-action lawsuit on Thursday, challenging his crackdown on Hispanic men and women as "illegal" residents of Phoenix and Maricopa County.

Then there is the small matter that Arpaio, sheriff since 1992, is standing for re-election in November....

The item starts just after the 1:20.30 mark.