Over the past decade the political left has had a lot of trouble with the issue of terrorism. Bush’s seemingly unthinking and ideological response to Islamic fundamentalist antagonism confirmed for many on the left that the modern version of world terrorism is in fact nothing more than a reaction to the persistence of American imperialism. Imperialism in its modern form is integral to globalization and capitalist expansionism. The US and western focus on Islamic terrorism is thus credibly perceived as a continuing thread in the long history of conquest and colonialism in the Arab and South Asia regions. So the left easily falls into a set of beliefs that see colonialism, imperialism, capitalism and US hegemony as part and parcel of a quilt that explains the root causes of terrorism as we know it today. This makes terrorism in some sense excusable, but also questionnable as a real threat to peace and safety of working people.

These left views are typically informed by high level and ideological thinking. As is too often the case with ideology, the facts get short shrift in such thinking. This too often leads to a fatal flaw – the denial of facts which challenge the world view as set out by the ideology. Of course it is not just the left that is guilty of this kind of thinking. One only need to look at the economics profession and its inability to look at economic facts of late as a measure of how smart people an get captured by ideology.

However, this is not an excuse. The belief that anyone who seriously worries about the dangers of Islamic inspired terrorism is simply a tool of imperialism is a serious analytical flaw. It is fine to be skeptical of equally unbalanced ideological driven claims such as those made by Bush and his acolytes about Iraq, or those made by economists about the infallibility of markets and globalization. But to deny the reality of the al Qaeda network and its intentions is not excusable simply because others are guilty of the failures of ideology thinking. Left politics defined by a denial of the reality of terrorism is doomed.

The danger that the left cannot see and understand this is high-lighted by the apparent disappointment in Obama on this issue. Obama has always been sensitive to the fact that many of his supporters on the left hated Bush’s self declared war on terrorism. He has tried to be moderate and conciliatory. In many ways this has served him well. Relations with the Arab and Muslim world have improved. Suspicion of the US has moderated. These are good things and cannot help but to reduce tension and hostility between nations.

However, it is pretty clear that al Qaeda and its affiliates have not let up. Their belief in a war on the west has not moderated or subsided. Obama has had to make it clear that US resolve has not faltered. Over the last few days he sounds in many ways like Bush on this topic.

This is not because Obama has changed. It is because the facts tell a story of continuing al Qaeda threats. He has before him detailed and unimpeachable intelligence that tells an alarming story. Obama has no choice but to respond. To do otherwise would send the wrong message to al Qaeda, and would be a failure in carrying out his duties to safeguard American people. All pedestrian stuff to ideologues, but part of the reality of real world life and government. The left has no choice but to track and support Obama on this one. To deny the reality of al Qaeda is to deny reality. Obama must act. It will not often be pretty. More attacks will take place and more lives will be lost. Sobering but true.