Vying for Global Jihadist Leadership Supremacy

       On Wednesday night, when President Barack Obama delivers his address to the nation with regards to ISIS, one man who will definitely be watching is Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda leader.  In his secret residence somewhere in Pakistan or Afghanistan, al-Zawahiri will likely be hoping that Obama proposes a plan to exterminate ISIS.  The group has simply seemed to have eclipsed al Qaeda in recent months and has continued to make al-Zawahiri almost irrelevant.  Al Qaeda and ISIS are currently locked in a vicious war for the leadership of the global Jihadist movement.  ISIS was previously a branch of al Qaeda but was expelled in February after refusing to restrict their activities to the country of Iraq.  ISIS has captured the minds of the young generation of Jihadists, and from all over the world.  In a relentless pursuit of an Islamic State (Caliphate), and propaganda the group has the new generation flocking to them.  The group is chillingly brutal towards non-Muslims, and Muslims who aren't "extreme enough".  The vicious attacks seem to bring back the ire of late al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden.  

     Though many jihadi preachers have confronted ISIS for being deviant, the younger generation seems to be more impressed by action than simply speeches.  To the younger generation, ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is building the Caliphate while al-Zawahiri just talks.  The movement is spreading, just last week a group of proponents of an Islamic state from Yemen released a video calling Baghdadi "The Caliph of the Muslims...the mugahid in the first row of attack against America".  Contrastingly, it has been a relatively long time since al Qaeda central has carried out any attacks of note.  Four years ago, a strategy document was released which set out ideas for attacking cruise ships, dams, bridges as well as aircraft.  

       Never the less, there are still many places where al Qaeda supporters are active and their operations are expanding.  For example, in Libya, Syria and Egypt they have found a collapse of state authority.  However, al-Zawahiri has seemed more like a supporter than the leader.  He is simply reacting to the events rather than directing them.  Last week, al Qaeda announced the creation of al Qaeda in India, lead by Asim Umar, this will include one faction of the Pakistani Taliban.  They are implicitly rejecting the Caliphate proposed by ISIS and are supporting the Taliban in establishing their own.  

       Al Qaeda however still does have hope for the future.  Al-Zawahiri is looking forward to the withdrawal of troops form Afghanistan as his best chance of a revival.  Also, last week al Qaeda reiterated it's allegiance to Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar.  There is also the prospect that ISIS will "over-reach" much like al Qaeda did in Iraq.  They alienated Sunni tribes, took territory it could not defend and mobilized more opponents that the organization could resist.  If this will be the case for ISIS, it is likely that they will soon be in trouble.

       I believe that ISIS is indeed gaining the control over the younger groups of Jihadists.  They are persuading these people form Europe and North America to come join and fight for their cause.  They are converting them and promising that they will have four wives.  However, as we know this is not the case, and this puts our countries and many others in danger.  The difference between ISIS and al Qaeda is that al Qaeda never quite secured the number of people with international passports that ISIS has.  So, it is inevitable to expect that one day, possibly in the near future that a Jihadist returning for a vacation back to the US or to Europe will conduct some sort of attack.  China has already taken drastic measures by encouraging Muslims to marry non-Muslims in an effort to decrease the risk for their country.  I think as the United States with the largest expeditionary force in the world, should exterminate these radicals because it is just a matter of time before they strike over-seas.  

William Deo

Adapted from: http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/10/world/meast/isis-vs-al-qaeda/index.html?hpt=wo_r1