Is Al Qaeda Real?

Here's something you won't hear on the western media; a discussion on Russia Today's Crosstalk about Al Qaeda and whether it is a real organisation or not.

If we are to believe the western mainstream media Al Qaeda is a huge, well-organised, global network of terrorism. Not according to some of the speakers here. The consensus on Crosstalk is that Al Qaeda is a generic term for a motley group of Islamists who oppose the militaristic policies of the US. In other words 'Al Qaeda' is a term of convenience which is used to describe an assortment of groups who are fighting the US.

And on the last, Robert Fisk is eloquent about why they are doing this.