Al Qaeda didn't go away at first. ISIS started out as a cell within Al Qaeda, but they were doing things so fucked up that even Al Qaeda denounced them (which is pretty crazy and why I remember this). Once Al Qaeda denounced them, that's when they REALLY took off. I don't know if Al Qaeda ever really dropped off the map, but I know ISIS quickly took the spotlight from them. I remember for a little while there, we were kind of sitting back on occasion and letting Al Qaeda and ISIS take each other out. I've wondered what ever ultimately happened to Al Qaeda.