[CaptainCrunch]

I think you're throwing a lot of confusion into the Al Qaeda concept. Its not really a terrorist group, its a bunch of loosely affiliated groups with different aims and goals. That's why you see groups in Asia that are Al-Qaeda affiliated that are far more psychotic then the ones in the middle east for exampe

The original concept with Bin Laden was that Al Qaeda was almost like a phone book of evil that could share resources, submit plans for terrorist activities and receive funding and material support. Bin Laden dreamed of himself not as a central authority that told these groups what to do, but would be able to advise and coordinate activities by different groups by offering or withholding funds and material aid or expertise. But the groups themselves would pick their own targets and plan their own ops and define their own end games.

The only reason why ISIS and Al-Qaeda are separate isn't because Al-Qaeda isn't as radical, or they've suddenly become quasi good guys. But because their alliance broke up because of a perceived slight caused by the leadership of the local Al-Qaeda groups feeling slighted and dis-respected by the ISIL leaders.

I read an article where a Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader was bemoaning that ISIS and them were fighting because what was basically a family squabble over levels of respect.