Alive and Deadly

[Geee]

American Spectator:

It has become accepted to use the term al Qaeda when referring to any violent Islamic grouping that appears to have a broader organizational connection. To refine that definition there has been added the recognition of at least three so-called "franchises" with a national or regional orientation: al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). All have an outreach beyond their immediate geographical area. The mistake that is made, however, is to characterize al Qaeda as the overall operational director of the movement.

The theoretical central control organization, al Qaeda, itself – with Ayman al Zawahiri as its post- bin Laden leader – is nonetheless viewed by most Western observers in a headquarters context for broad planning, propaganda, and sometime coordination among the several franchises. To a certain extent, central al Qaeda reportedly has informal elements circulating as mentors among various local popular groups.

One example of this perception was offered up in the early stages of the "Arab Spring" as manifested in the large-scale riots in Cairo. This concept gave way to the view that the large crowds were influenced by large-scale Muslim Brotherhood contingents not necessarily al Qaeda related. Later analysis has shown that these original demonstrations were led by left-wing students, youths, and neighborhood gangs, with Brotherhood squads later joining in.