Wily debater’s creation

• Rhetorical creation
• Scarecrow, e.g
• Ineffective figurehead
• Deliberately weak argument metaphor
• Conveniently weak argument, metaphorically
• Easily refuted argument
• Specious figure in an argument
• An effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. (alternative spelling of straw man English)