Figures of Speech Served Fresh

Quote:   “This is no more a war on terrorism than the Second World War was a war on submarines.”  Marine Lieutenant General Wallace Gregson

Figure of Speech:   Antapodosis (an tah POE doe sis), the side-by-side figure

A kind of simile in which the nouns and verbs correspond, the antapodosis can be one of the most persuasive of all figures.  Take Woody Allen’s convincing summary of secondary education:  “Those who can’t do, teach. Those who can’t teach, teach gym.”

General Gregson’s antapodosis supports a favorite new tag line minted by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld: what used to be a war on terrorism is now a “global struggle against extremism.” 

Snappy Answer:    "So it's  not a war, it’s a struggle; therefore we’re not fighting, we’re...what?"