The rise of the Islamic State and its competition with al-Qaeda has fundamentally reshaped the global jihadist movement. Al-Qaeda, the once-dominant force within the movement, which adopted a strategy focused on fighting the United States in a competition between two actors, has faltered as the Islamic State鈥檚 strategy designed for war both with the United States and al-Qaeda has demonstrated results.聽
Rather than competing with the Islamic State鈥檚 loud campaign trumpeting its brutality and military success, al-Qaeda has instead sought to avoid attention and rebrand itself as 鈥渕oderate.鈥 What is the future of the jihadist movement? Whose strategy will succeed 鈥 al Qaeda鈥檚 or the Islamic State鈥檚? How should the United States analyze and respond to the new environment? In a new policy paper from 麻豆果冻传媒, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and his coauthors explore these questions.