In fact just yesterday I got sucked into another thread that went the same way. I've come to the conclusion that that some people take counter points and play Devil's Advocate just because the enjoy argument and debate. Personally it's not my thing. I'd rather dash off a quick comment and get back to work.
This thread has gone crazy, hasn't it?
Unfortunately, attacking the form rather than the content of a position can also be an effective tactic for undermining an opposing view without having to risk justifying oneself. It consumes energy without contributing anything constructive. If there's a genuine ambiguity and a desire to work together to learn something, there are usually ways to clarify your opponent's position that help both people reach understanding.
But I don't get it. Your initial comment (which I totally agree with) is right there. It is plainly obvious what you wrote and plainly obvious that the response is a paraphrase. You clearly disagree with that paraphrase, but that to me seems like an essential issue in the discussion, not a pointless tangent: "do I correctly understand you to be saying...", "no!", "oh, then...".