The Peter-Principle of Staying Alive

It looks, folks, like we just took out the Al Qaeda #3 again. Good for us, no doubt. But, no, probably not nearly so good for the #4 fellow.....Which leads me to think out loud here - what in fact if I were that #4 fellow? Would I step up and take that #3 "position". Or, OR, would I graciously step aside and let the #5 fellow have it. Right now, I'm pretty much thinking that I'd step aside.