Dr. Nader Hashemi:

Thankfully, they are not very strong at all. We believe that the emergence of ISIS was actually a repudiation and rejection of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were both united at one point under the leadership of Ayman al-Zawahiri, after Osama bin Laden was assassinated. Thankfully, there are deep divisions and animosity between these different groups. They share certain overlapping world views in terms of their deeply intolerant religious interpretation, but there is no coordination of planning and policy in their military activity. I consider that a good thing.