Is there such a thing as the benign use of interÂnaÂtionÂal force? It’s a quesÂtion that Noam ChomÂsky and William F. BuckÂley, leadÂing thinkers from the left and right, took up in 1969. And, of course, the whole quesÂtion of VietÂnam loomed in the backÂground. As you’ll see below (and in Part 2 here) the debate is remarkÂably civÂil. And when BuckÂley threatÂens to punch ChomÂsky in the face, it’s said much more lovÂingÂly than when he offered to do the same to Gore Vidal in 1968.
As an interÂestÂing aside, when BuckÂley died earÂliÂer this year, ChomÂsky revisÂitÂed the 1969 debate and BuckÂley’s legaÂcy and essenÂtialÂly saw him lookÂing a lot betÂter than his conÂserÂvÂaÂtive heirs — although I’m not sure that ChomÂsky was realÂly passÂing along a deeply felt comÂpliÂment here.
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