killing Zawahiri, the leaders of al Qaeda’s branches
would have the opportunity to reassess whether to
remain with al Qaeda or join Baghdadi’s caliphate
…”
“More so than during the bin Laden era, al Qaeda’s
cohesiveness depends on the ability of its leadership
to hold the various franchises together, and it is
unclear whether al Qaeda can endure another
succession since al Qaeda’s veteran leaders have
dwindled considerably in recent years, making
it more dependent on old guard figures such as
Zawahiri to maintain unity. As such, the group’s fate
may depend on Zawahiri’s personal survival. It is
certainly ironic that at this point, when the United
States is the closest it has ever been to destroying al
Qaeda, its interests would be better served by keeping
the terrorist organization afloat and Zawahiri alive.”
Strange Bedfellows
Parties that display friction or outright aggression toward one another are finding
themselves aligned in a desire to counter
Islamic State. Groups of colored lines between parties represent shared interests.
[Text and graphics from the crusaders of
the Wall Street Journal!]
dabiq
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