Al-Qaeda represents a bankrupt ideology: US

Washington, June 16: The US is not surprised by the appointment of Egyptian-born surgeon Ayman al-Zawahiri as the new al-Qaeda chief, saying it barely matters as who heads the global terror group. White House on Thursday, June 16 said that it represents a bankrupt ideology.

Press Secretary, Jay Carney, said the news reports that Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahri, has succeeded Osama bin Laden as the leader of al Qaeda, is not surprising.

"Certainly not surprising. He was identified prior to the successful mission against Osama bin Laden as al-Qaida's number two," Carney said in response to a question at his daily news conference.

"It's neither surprising nor does it change some fundamental facts, which is, al-Qaeda's ideology is bankrupt. The fact is that peaceful movements for change are the future of the region, and al- Qaeda is the past," he said.

"That was true before Osama bin Laden's death and it's true today," Carney said.

"What I'd like to say today is, frankly, it barely matters who runs al-Qaeda, because al-Qaeda is a bankrupt ideology," the new State Department spokesman Victoria ''Toria'' Nuland told reporters at her first news conference.

"If you look around the world, the peaceful movements for change around the world have done far more for Muslim people than al-Qaeda has ever produced," she said, responding to question about news reports that Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahri, has succeeded Osama bin Laden as the leader of al-Qaeda.

PTI