Religious nationalists and the near enemy --; The Afghan war : sowing the seeds of --; Globalized Jihad --; The rise of trans-nationalist Jihadis and the far enemy --; Splitting up of Jihadis --; The aftermath : the war within.
Since 9/11, Al Qaeda has been portrayed as an Islamist front united in armed struggle, or jihad, against the West. Fawaz Gerges argues that Al Qaeda represents a minority whose strategies have been opposed by religionist nationalists, thus creating a rift that led to the events of 9/11.