I’m sorry for using figurative language on the internet where Dutch people are around. The full relevant part is below:
> Denmark isn’t an “ally.” An alliance is a mutual relationship. Denmark offers the U.S. nothing. It’s a country the size of Maryland…
In the construction “it’s not an X, it’s a Y,” X and Y are read in contrast to each other. Denmark isn’t an “ally” in the sense that it can’t offer meaningful aid to the U.S. in a war because it’s a tiny country. Obviously Denmark is an “ally” in the legal sense that we’re both part of NATO.
Ahh, the True Scotsman equivalent of not quite an ally. FFS man, at least own your words and stop weaseling, I have absolutely no problem with figurative language, I was speaking English before you were born.
Not a valuable, meaningful, or significant ally. Your reading of what I wrote erases the scare quotes around "ally" and renders the comparison to the size of Maryland a non-sequiter.
> Denmark isn’t an “ally.” An alliance is a mutual relationship. Denmark offers the U.S. nothing. It’s a country the size of Maryland…
In the construction “it’s not an X, it’s a Y,” X and Y are read in contrast to each other. Denmark isn’t an “ally” in the sense that it can’t offer meaningful aid to the U.S. in a war because it’s a tiny country. Obviously Denmark is an “ally” in the legal sense that we’re both part of NATO.