Noam Chomsky vs William F. Buckley, 1969

By far, one of my favorite YouTube clips. In this clip, two of the greatest debaters of the 20th century, Noam Chomsky, the consummate political dissident and intellectual, and William F. Buckley, the champion conservative commentator, faced off. The debate centers around the question of whether American military intervention has historically been "disinterested," in that its purpose was to squash a possible threat that had yet to materialize but whose potential could be devastating, or whether military intervention has been motivated largely by imperialistic circumstances, in that the nation who is the subject of intervention could economically benefit the United States.

Chomsky is incredible in his analysis of history and his skills in debate. He has so much relevant information at the tips of his fingers and utilizes it beautifully throughout the debate. Buckley, although clearly very intelligent, seems somewhat misinformed (and is infact corrected by Chomsky several times for historical errors) and at loss for a clear, strong argument.