Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and Other Extremists Groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan

In order to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a terrorist sanctuary, we clearly need to understand exactly who we're fighting, what motivates them, what binds them together, and, most importantly, what could drive them apart. Today we'll attempt to gain a deeper understanding of insurgent and extremists groups that inhabit the region and better understand the nature of this conflict.

Osama bin Laden may have been at the center of it all, but his death does not signal the end of terrorism. Al-Qaeda still exists, motivated by the same vitriol and warped ideology that has always been the organization's trademark. The Abbottabad raid, however, did send an unmistakable message: The United States is committed, capable, and unrelenting in its pursuit of those who seek to do us harm.