Who’s who in al Qaeda today

When Osama bin Laden returned to the Internet with a new video this week, White House officials were quick to dismiss him as “… a man on the run in a cave who is virtually impotent other than his ability to get these messages out.” Diminished as bin Laden himself may be, the global network ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
599480_070907_osama_05.jpg
599480_070907_osama_05.jpg

When Osama bin Laden returned to the Internet with a new video this week, White House officials were quick to dismiss him as "... a man on the run in a cave who is virtually impotent other than his ability to get these messages out." Diminished as bin Laden himself may be, the global network he leads continues to operate, and a new generation of leaders has risen up to fill the place of those who have been captured or killed. With the sixth anniversary of 9/11 approaching, this week's FP List looks at some of the main al Qaeda figures who remain at large.

When Osama bin Laden returned to the Internet with a new video this week, White House officials were quick to dismiss him as “… a man on the run in a cave who is virtually impotent other than his ability to get these messages out.” Diminished as bin Laden himself may be, the global network he leads continues to operate, and a new generation of leaders has risen up to fill the place of those who have been captured or killed. With the sixth anniversary of 9/11 approaching, this week’s FP List looks at some of the main al Qaeda figures who remain at large.

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

More from Foreign Policy

A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.
A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.

No, the World Is Not Multipolar

The idea of emerging power centers is popular but wrong—and could lead to serious policy mistakes.

A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.
A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.

America Prepares for a Pacific War With China It Doesn’t Want

Embedded with U.S. forces in the Pacific, I saw the dilemmas of deterrence firsthand.

The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.
The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.

America Can’t Stop China’s Rise

And it should stop trying.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on prior a meeting with European Union leaders in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on prior a meeting with European Union leaders in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.

The Morality of Ukraine’s War Is Very Murky

The ethical calculations are less clear than you might think.