COLUMNS

Al-Zawahiri's Legacy, Part 2: Will the al Qaeda Leader's Vision Outlive Him?

undefined and Director of Analysis at RANE
Sam Lichtenstein
Director of Analysis at RANE, Stratfor

Aug 11, 2022 | 21:19 GMT

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab recruits walk down a street in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu following their graduation in March 2012.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab recruits walk down a street in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu following their graduation in March 2012.

(Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP via Getty Images)

Editor's Note: This column is the second of two-part series that explores the legacy of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was recently killed in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul. The first part, we discussed the slain leader's ideological background and his role in taking the jihadist fight directly to the United States and other Western countries. In the second part, we look at al-Zawahiri's struggles to implement this ''far enemy'' strategy and whether his successor will be able to return al Qaeda to its former prominence....