What Kind of Leader Will Al-Qaeda Choose Next?

November 02, 2022 00:44:29
What Kind of Leader Will Al-Qaeda Choose Next?
Modern War Institute
What Kind of Leader Will Al-Qaeda Choose Next?

Nov 02 2022 | 00:44:29

/

Show Notes

The recent death of Ayman al-Zawahiri marks a rare inflection point for a terrorist organization that has had just two leaders in the more than three decades of its existence. Forecasting its future trajectory—and developing counterterrorism policy—will depend on what type of leader emerges as Zawahiri's successor. Dr. Tricia Bacon and Dr. Elizabeth Grimm are the authors of a new book, Terror in Transition: Leadership and Succession in Terrorist Organizations. They join this episode to describe the five categories of leader they have identified by rigorously analyzing leadership succession in terrorist organizations. They also explain what each of those types of leader would mean for al-Qaeda going forward and why it is so crucial for counterterrorism policymakers and practitioners to understand these leadership types as they conceptualize the threat posed by the terrorist organization and seek ways to counter that threat.

Other Episodes

Episode

June 11, 2025 00:46:38
Episode Cover

The US Defense Industrial Base, from Steel to Software

The defense industrial base is a critical component of US military readiness. But how should we conceptualize it in the information age, when it...

Listen

Episode 0

August 05, 2020 00:31:45
Episode Cover

The Other Foreign Fighters

In this episode, we talk to American University Professor Joseph Young and the Brookings Institution's Jason Fritz about a phenomenon they've been studying: American...

Listen

Episode

December 15, 2022 01:08:19
Episode Cover

Introducing Social Science of War

We're thrilled to announce a new podcast, launched in partnership with West Point's Department of Social Sciences, called Social Science of War. Each episode...

Listen