We have the war on terror (whatever that means anymore), something called the Bible belt, are slipping into a mini-recession when the only thing we make money on is foreign interest, you get the picture. Yes, some of us are pampered and are at war with our waistlines. I don’t know if we declare war on everything, but we’re ‘politically correct’ and love protesting.

Now I hear Britain is may be banning public smoking in certain areas?

“War against papercuts” is a great image.

You make a very good point about the implications of mistaking metaphors for reality, leading people to trivialise war. Ditto, Islam and the concept of jihad, of course.