Following the June 16, 2011, announcement that Ayman al-Zawahiri would replace Osama bin Laden as the leader of al Qaeda, “An unnamed US official said earlier that Zawahiri had ‘nowhere near’ Bin Laden’s credentials. ‘His ascension to the top leadership spot will likely generate criticism if not alienation and dissention with al-Qaeda,’ the Obama administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He added that Zawahiri, 59, would find it difficult to lead while focusing on his own survival. ‘The bottom line is that Zawahri [sic] has nowhere near the credentials that [Osama Bin Laden] had,’ said the official.”
– “US Vows to ‘Capture and Kill’ Ayman al-Zawahiri,” BBC News, June 16, 2011