Is Al Qaeda Dying?

For the past eight years, Osama Bin Laden’s al Qaeda has had close ties with Baitullah Mehsud, the Taliban’s most dangerous and powerful leader who was reportedly killed earlier this week by a U.S. predator drone. It was Meshud who took in fleeing al Qaeda leaders after the 9/11 attacks, and it was al Qaeda that helped build the Taliban up as a military force, their expertise contributing to the “suicide-bomber-on-demand” operation that Pakistani officials think is connected to 90 percent of suicide and terrorist attacks over the past two years, including the attack that killed Benazir Bhutto. Mehsud’s death may signal the end of that mutually beneficial relationship, as none of his top commanders are prepared or willing to offer comparable protection or funds to al Qaeda. Some of the commanders, such as Maulvi Nasir, have a history of turning on al Qaeda. Nasir killed 250 al Qaeda members and banished several hundred more from his territory in 2007. The Pakistani army may be looking to take advantage of this new vulnerability. Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, the Pakistani Army spokesman, said, "If you can knock out the problem's center of gravity, Mehsud, then you may not have to go against the other tribal forces that may fall into line.”