can you please help me paraphrase this paragraph.

The eradication of al-Qaeda is as much an intelligence and law enforcement challenge as it is a purely military campaign. While special operations, commando raids, and air strikes are important weapons against bin Laden's widely dispersed followers, patient and painstaking intelligence and law enforcement operations are likely to be the key to defeating them in the long run.

What does this paragraph mean to you? Have you looked up the definitions of unfamiliar words?

Consider these questions:

What campaigns are needed to get rid of al-Quaeda?
Which operations are most likely to be most important to in defeating them?

If you want to post your interpretation, we'll be glad to critique it for you.

To paraphrase the paragraph:

The elimination of al-Qaeda requires both intelligence and law enforcement efforts, in addition to a military campaign. While military actions like special operations, commando raids, and air strikes are essential in targeting al-Qaeda members spread out in different locations, patient and careful intelligence gathering, along with law enforcement operations, are likely to play a crucial role in defeating them in the long term.

In simpler terms, defeating al-Qaeda requires more than just military actions. Intelligence and law enforcement operations are equally important, if not more so. While military campaigns like special operations and air strikes can help take down al-Qaeda members, it is the meticulous gathering of information and effective law enforcement measures that are likely to be the key to ultimately defeating the organization.

To tackle the questions:

1. The paragraph suggests that a combination of intelligence, law enforcement, and military campaigns is necessary to eradicate al-Qaeda.
2. The operations that are likely to be most vital in defeating al-Qaeda are patient intelligence gathering and comprehensive law enforcement efforts.

No unfamiliar words were found in this paragraph, so there was no need to look up any definitions.