"Early estimates that the 2001 conflict in Afghanistan had dealt a crippling blow to al-Qaeda and marked the beginning of the end for the organisation have proven to be overly optimistic and insufficiently to have considered the adaptive resilient nature of the Al-Qaeda. There is substantial reason to believe al-Qaeda central has largely been reconstituted. Because of its redundant leadership and leaderless jihad structure, the significant numbers of senior leaders that have been killed or captured have been replaced by longtime al-Qaeda members with demonstrated loyalty to bin Laden and Zawhiri. There is a new generation of al-Qaeda senior leaders." Excerpt from The Mind of the Terrorist by Jerrold M. Post
