I had a similar idea at one time, and thought that a formal forum was the way to go. (I don't know if that link will work for you. It's a deep-link, and works fine for me at the moment.)

My thought was to gather some people with some expertise, have them submit position papers, debate the positions, debate the language, and to vote on everything. All of which could be done inside the phpBB forum app itself. (Which is free, btw.) The idea was to have a formalized process, with informed debate, the end result being a political platform.

I have a strong feeling that this kind online think tank will become a regular part of policy debate in the future. It has the advantages of transparency, leaves a permanent public record, it's inclusive, and with the right mix of people, that perfection one strives for in postal chess. Moderation is absolutely necessary.

Good luck with the book. If I ever develop any expertise in foreign policy, I'll look you up.

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire