Al-Qaeda After Bin Laden: Organizational Survival, Affiliate Autonomy, and Strategic Fragmentation

Abstract

Al Qaeda, founded by Osama bin Laden, is a global terrorist organization that aims to establish an Islamic Caliphate. Initially, the group was resisting the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan; however, later the group turned into a network committed to global jihad against its perceived enemies. The death of the core leader and weakening of the overall leadership have impacted the organization. The centralized structure converted into a decentralized network that has sustained the organization's survival. The paper addresses how Al-Qaeda's use of an affiliate network helped it survive, but at the same time reduced its strategic unity and central control. As the Al-Qaeda jihadist ideology and affiliates' political objectives prevent them from fully following Al Qaeda's religious mission. Moreover, assessing ways in which the group and its affiliates are balancing them in the region while facing global counter-terrorism pressure.