Following the September 11^th terrorist attacks and the subsequent loss of its headquarters in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda had to adapt its structure, operating procedures, and tactics to survive. Al Qaeda has become a constantly evolving entity that is continually moving into new regions of operation and developing novel tactics to perpetrate its attacks. Today the guidelines of what classifies an individual as an Al Qaeda operative are not as clear as they were prior to September 11, 2001. Many so called Al Qaeda members have never received formal training and have not had contact with Al Qaeda's senior leadership. Consequently, this paper will propose a political movement paradigm from which to view and understand Al Qaeda. Through this paradigm Al Qaeda's structural and tactical evolution from its pre-September 11^th form into its current state will be examined, paying special attention to the implications this transformation has on Western counterterrorism strategies.