I finally got the second post finished for the Olivebranch Network, and have so far had some great successes in regard to recruiting educated and motivated people.

Two new members were recruited yesterday.

John will be writing about issues//opinions//thoughts and feelings of the Coalition soldiers and the struggles faced by the developing Iraqi Security forces.

Shahram will hopefully help decide what topics & sub-topics need covering regarding Iran, and help recruit the appropriate people to write for such topics..

In the mean time go check out the post at http://olivebranchoptimism.net
(here's the list of topics & sub-topic chosen for Iraq so-far):

Iraqi Politics
- Important developments (past & present)
- Physical changes as a result of the political process in Iraq
- fraud/corruption/abuse of power (present & past if related to a current individual/group/etc)
- the players (who they are, what is their past, ideologies, alliances)

Resistance/Terrorism/Militia’s
- Who are they? (who are the “terrorists” as opposed to the “resistance”; who are the militias?)
- Differences (history, activities, loyalties, support bases)
- Ideological goals and motivations (particularly the differences)
- Changes & Events (Terrorism chased out of Anbar by resistance, Badr joining political process)

The fate of Iraqi women
- The role of women in Iraqi society (past & present)
- Womens constitutional rights in Iraq (past & present + changes)
- Islamic Law//Tribal Law in regard to women

Iraqi Hospitals//Health Care issues
- Cancer in Iraq (past & present, causes)
- Availability of supplies//medical equiptment for Iraqi hospitals//doctor’s surgeries
- Assasinations//Targetting of doctors and medical professionals
- How you can help

Iraqi Universities
- Quality of education and availability of resources
- Security conditions at Iraq’s universities
- Assasinations//Targetting of Iraq’s educated population
- Activism // Islamification // Women
- How you can help

Security forces // Coalition forces
- development of Iraqi police force (past & present)
- development of Iraqi “National Guard” (past & present)
- conditions & attitudes of US//coalition soldiers in Iraq.
- important events//dates (past & present)

Reconstruction
- Contracts
- Actual development
- Deconstruction
- WAR damages & possible reperations

Iraqi Blogosphere
- Importance of the Iraqi blogosphere inside Iraq
- Global importance of the Iraqi blogosphere
- Development of the Iraqi blogosphere (past & present)

Islam in Iraq
- Role of Islam in Iraqi society (past & present)
- Important figures (past & present, who they are, what is their significance, who supports them)
- Traditions//Celebration//Mourning periods

Iraqi Food
- sub-topics yet to be defined.