Journal Article - Quarterly Journal: International Security
Attacking the Leader, Missing the Mark: Why Terrorist Groups Survive Decapitation Strikes
Summary
Many academics and policymakers argue that the removal of leaders is an effective strategy in combating terrorism. Leadership decapitation is not always successful, however. A theory of organizational resilience explains why some terrorist organizations survive decapitation. Application of this theoretical model to the case of al-Qaida reveals that the deaths of Osama bin Laden and other high level al-Qaida operatives are unlikely to cause significant organizational decline.
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For Academic Citation:
Jenna Jordan. “Attacking the Leader, Missing the Mark: Why Terrorist Groups Survive Decapitation Strikes.” Quarterly Journal: International Security, vol. 38. no. 4. (Spring 2014): 7-38 .
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