We learned Tuesday that a U.S. missile strike had killed al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader. On the surface, it sounds like good news. But here's why it's not so cut and dry. Al-Qaeda used to be the No. 1 terrorist group in the Middle East. Until the Islamic State started gaining more power. Now, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are locked in a battle for dominance over the global jihad movement. The Islamic State, a more brutal al-Qaeda offshoot, is attracting a new generation of recruits with its more ruthless methods (the group has no qualms about killing civilians or attacking mosques). So while the death of Nasir al-Wahishi — who'd been close to Osama bin Laden — is a blow to al-Qaeda, it may end up benefiting the Islamic State, giving the group a boost at a time when it's already attracting new recruits. Read more about the debated effectiveness of using drone strikes to target al-Qaeda leaders.
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