Your Trusted Source for National Security News & Analysis

February 17th, 2025 | 2:27 AM ET

Al Qaeda’s Achilles Heel: Leadership

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share
0 Shares
Posted: August 30th, 2018

By Admiral James 'Sandy' Winnefeld (Ret.)

Admiral Winnefeld served for 37 years in the United States Navy. He retired in 2015 after serving four years as the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As a flag officer, he commanded the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, NATO Joint Command Lisbon, Striking and Support Forces NATO, the United States Sixth Fleet, United States Northern Command, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD.

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri recently released a video calling on Muslims to unite against what he calls an “international infidel alliance”.  The video was released as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley reminded the world that we “cannot forget the enduring threat posed by al-Qaeda.  ISIS may have captured more headlines in recent years, but al-Qaeda leaders are still plotting attacks around the world.  This includes a large remaining al-Qaeda presence in Syria, Yemen, and other parts of the world.”

We asked Cipher Brief Expert Admiral James ‘Sandy’ Winnefeld, former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff,  for his thoughts on where he believes al-Qaeda is today, some 17 years after 9/11.

Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.

Sign Up Log In

Categorized as:Middle EastTagged with:

Related Articles

Search

Close