I submit that a possible avenue of de-legitimization of AQ and its (Sunni) literalist exegetical paradigm of the Qur'an, Hadith and Islamic history would be Islamic sects, some of which (Ahmadis, Isma'ili Shi`a, a number of Sufi orders) hold different views of, in particular, jihad; they define it as truly non-violent, unlike the majority Sunni view over the last 1434 years. Jihad is thus not "extremist" or even "radical," as journalists and too many analysts parrot; jihad, and yes violent jihad against non-Muslims, is mainstream in Islam and has been since the examples of Muhammad himself. The only way that legitimate narrative--which gives strength to AQ and the other 38 Muslim groups on the current State Dept. FTO list--can be degraded is by holding up to Muslims that there are those within their own faith tradition that dissent. This will take time, but it may work. I wrote an article on this a few years ago: http://hnn.us/article/83742