Parkeer Pro Memorie

NATO Secretary General compares russia to garden snail due to record slow progress in Ukraine. ukranews.com/en/news/1134662-nato-secretary-general-compares-russia-to-a-garden-snail-due-to-record-slow-progress-in-ukraine.
*
We hebben AI+ChatGPT erbij gehaald, om te zien wat of zij van onze speculatieve scenario’s denken. Het ‘Westen’ is wanhopig en Rutte begint te zuigen op een slak. AI schiet aanvankelijk toch meteen in de conventionele modus.
AI+ChatGPT
Why Rutte chose the “garden snail” metaphor
Based on his remarks, several motives stand out:
1. Undercutting Russia’s self‑image as a “mighty bear”
Rutte explicitly contrasted Russia’s preferred propaganda image — powerful, unstoppable, fear‑inducing — with the reality of its battlefield performance. He said Russia “wants us to see it as a mighty bear,” but in reality its forces are advancing “at the pace of a garden snail.” This is classic rhetorical reframing: take your opponent’s chosen symbol and replace it with something small, slow, and unimpressive.
2. Highlighting Russia’s extremely slow progress in Ukraine
The metaphor wasn’t random. It was tied to the fact that Russian territorial gains had been minimal despite enormous effort and cost. Rutte emphasized that Russia was “hardly moving faster than a garden snail” on the battlefield. The snail image makes that stagnation vivid and memorable.
3. Drawing attention to Russia’s heavy losses
Rutte backed up the metaphor with stark casualty numbers — 35,000 Russian soldiers killed in December and 30,000 in January. By pairing “snail‑like progress” with “staggering losses,” he was making the point that Russia’s war effort is both slow and extremely costly.
4. Reinforcing the case for continued NATO support to Ukraine
He used the metaphor to argue that Ukraine is effectively using Western support and that NATO should maintain or increase assistance. The snail comparison helps justify that stance: if Russia is struggling, then supporting Ukraine is working.
So why a garden snail specifically?
Because it’s:
– universally understood as slow
– non‑threatening, the opposite of a “mighty bear”
– almost comically small, which adds rhetorical punch
– a natural metaphor for incremental, barely noticeable movement
It’s a way of saying: Russia wants to look fearsome, but its actual performance is plodding and unimpressive.
If you’d like, I can also unpack how this kind of metaphor fits into broader political communication strategies or compare it to similar historical examples.
Dat laatste hoefde niet, want wij wilden weten of wij werkelijk een te hoge dunk van Putin hadden en we meneer Rutte en zijn club te laag inschatten.
- Dus jullie vroegen door…?
We probeerden eerst diverse andere benaderingen. Meneer Rutte heeft tenslotte doorgeleerd voor geschiedenisleraar in een tijd dat ons onderwijs nog niet helemáál hopeloos in puin lag, zoals nu, dus Rutte zal tocht íets van dat historische onderwijs hebben meegekregen. Putin, de jurist, is uiteraard op de hoogte van Ruttes opleiding en scholing.

🐌 Did Putin “learn” from Blitzkrieg while Western leaders didn’t?
If we look at the actual military conduct of Russia’s invasion, the comparison to Blitzkrieg doesn’t hold up well. Blitzkrieg — as used in 1940–41 — depended on: Speed; Surprise; Deep armored penetration; Air superiority; Operational coordination across large fronts.
Russia’s 2022 invasion attempted some of these elements, but only partially and with major structural weaknesses. In fact, many analysts argue the opposite: Russia tried a Blitzkrieg‑style opening, but it failed almost immediately. Here’s why.
🚫 Why Russia’s invasion was not a successful Blitzkrieg
1. Blitzkrieg requires overwhelming surprise — Russia didn’t have it
Germany’s 1941 attack caught the USSR strategically unprepared. Russia’s 2022 attack did not catch Ukraine or NATO by surprise; intelligence warnings were public for weeks.
2. Blitzkrieg depends on logistics — Russia’s logistics collapsed
German Blitzkrieg relied on extremely efficient supply lines. Russia’s early convoys stalled within days due to: fuel shortages; poor maintenance; corruption in procurement; lack of secure supply routes. This is the opposite of Blitzkrieg doctrine.
3. Blitzkrieg requires air dominance — Russia never achieved it Germany neutralized enemy air forces early. Russia failed to destroy Ukraine’s air defenses or air force, which is why the war became slow and attritional.
4. Blitzkrieg requires flexible command — Russia uses rigid hierarchy
German armored units had decentralized initiative. Russian forces rely on top‑down orders, which slows operations dramatically.
5. Blitzkrieg is about rapid territorial collapse — Ukraine did not collapse
Ukraine’s political and military cohesion held, which is fatal to Blitzkrieg‑style plans.
🧭 So why did Rutte call Russia a “garden snail”?
Because the outcome of Russia’s campaign — slow, grinding, incremental — is the opposite of Blitzkrieg. His metaphor wasn’t about Western leaders failing to “learn” from history; it was about Russia failing to achieve the rapid, decisive breakthrough that Blitzkrieg represents.
In other words:
– If Putin intended a Blitzkrieg, it didn’t work.
– If he didn’t intend one, then the war’s slow pace is deliberate — but still not impressive.
Either way, the “snail” remark is aimed at Russia’s actual performance, not its theoretical study of history.

- Het draait om dat ‘grinding‘ denk ik.

🎲 Are Rutte & co. “proficient poker players”?
If we use poker logic as the metaphor, then Western leaders — including Rutte — tend to play a style that is: transparent; rule‑bound; consensus‑driven; focused on signalling unity rather than deception.
That’s not a criticism; it’s simply the nature of democratic, coalition‑based decision‑making. Poker, however, rewards: bluffing; misdirection; reading opponents’ psychology; exploiting hesitation; long‑term traps. Those are not strengths of large alliances.
So in a poker sense, Rutte & co. are not “bad players” — they’re playing bridge at a table where someone else is playing Texas Hold’em with a hidden ace.
- Nou moe. Is MS Microsoft door de CIA overgenomen? Moet je horen: ‘Western leaders — including Rutte — tend to play a style that is: transparent; rule‑bound; consensus‑driven; focused on signalling unity rather than deception.’ Wie durft te beweren dat AI onbevangen en objectief is?
Het kan bijna niet op hè? Maar AI draait heel langzaam bij. Hoor maar.
🔍 The deeper point
If Putin’s priority is not rapid victory but strategic attrition of Western political will, then Rutte’s “garden snail” remark is not a poker move — it’s a public‑relations move meant to: reassure allies; maintain morale; frame Russia as weak; keep domestic support stable.
That’s messaging, not bluffing. Putin, on the other hand, may be playing a game where the appearance of slow progress is irrelevant — or even useful.
- Nou, dat bijdraaien gebeurt dan wel héél erg langzaam.
Dat klopt, daarom helpen we AI een handje.

🧩 Grinding is not a failure. Grinding is a strategy.
In military theory, a grinding strategy is one where the goal is not speed, not breakthrough, not shock — but attrition.
Attrition is not glamorous. It is not fast. It is not dramatic. But it is relentless.
And here’s the crucial point: A grinding strategy targets the opponent’s endurance, not their territory. If that’s the case, then the “snail pace” is not a weakness — it’s the mechanism.
- AI lijkt het licht te zien, is het niet? ‘Grinding is a strategy. ….. then the “snail pace” is not a weakness — it’s the mechanism. ‘ Het gaat Putin niet om terreinwinst, hij wíl helemaal niet nog meer Westwaarts, want hij heeft het land, terrein, gebied, dat hij wil hebben – al was dat nooit zijn intentie om de speciale militaire operatie te beginnen. Dat heeft Putin zo te zeggen on the fly bedacht…
AI+ChatGPT: 🧠 And here’s the twist: grinding is the opposite of poker.
You asked whether Rutte & co. are good poker players. But grinding isn’t poker.
Grinding is marathon strategy. Poker is about bluffing. Grinding is about outlasting. Poker is about reading opponents. Grinding is about waiting for opponents to exhaust themselves. Poker is about sudden moves. Grinding is about slow, cumulative pressure.
If Putin’s priority is grinding, then: speed is irrelevant; territory is secondary; casualties are acceptable; time is the main weapon.
And the “garden snail” metaphor becomes ironic — because a snail is slow, yes, but it is also persistent.
Mwah, oké, hier heeft AI misschein een punt. Putin is niet zozeer de betere pokeraar, maar verreweg de betere schaker. Soit, vooruit dan maar.
- Nou neen, Putin is zowél de betere pokerspeler alsook de betere schaker, Putin is zoals Jacques Baud het zegt: Maître du jeu, de meester van het spel. AI draait steeds meer bij, maar heeft des Pudels Kern – volgens ons tenminste – nog niet beet.
🎯 The non‑conventional guess you asked for
If we take everything together, the unconventional but coherent interpretation is: Putin’s priority may be to turn the war into a long-term attritional grinder designed to exhaust Western cohesion, not to conquer Ukraine quickly.
In that framework, the “snail pace” is not a flaw. It’s the strategy.

Why a grinding war is strategically awkward for Western leaders
Because grinding: drags on for years; requires constant funding votes; competes with domestic priorities; tests public patience; exposes divisions between allies; gives opponents ammunition (“How long will this go on?”).
A grinding war is the worst-case scenario for a political alliance that depends on unity and momentum.
- Volgens deze redenering heeft Rutte zich met zijn slakken-sneer lelijk in de kaart laten kijken. Je zou Rutte kunnen zien denken: ‘Waarom schiet die Putin nou niet op met zijn verovering van het Westen!?’
Juist: “Go West young man!” zouden ze in Amerika zeggen. Rutte heeft zijn narrigheid toch niet helemáál onder de knie weten te krijgen, al schijnt hij niet meer met servies te smijten en in de kroonluchters te klimmen wanneer hij in razernij vervalt. Rutte beperkt zich nu tot negatieve / passieve, agressiviteit: hij gaat kinderachtig smalen en sneren: “Het Russiche leger is niets waard en Putins beer is van bordkarton!” In dit geval laat hij openlijk zien dat het water de NAVO aan de lippen staat en smeekt Rutte Putin haast om toch sneller Westwaarts op te rukken. Dat getuigt niet van profijtelijk pokeren, neen beslist niet.
- Een volwassen en ervaren staatsman zou hooguit iets zeggen in de trant van: “Gelukkig maar dat het Russische leger in de touwen hangt en met een slakkengang over het slegveld kruipt. Dat scheelt een heleboel doden aan beide kanten. Uiteindelijk zal de Oekraïne het toch van Rusland winnen, want God staat altijd aan de goed kant!”
Nou dat laatste met God, dat zou het te doorzichtig-ironisch maken, want ze respecteren God noch gebod en ze liggen bij wijze van spreken met de satan onder een deken. Neen, laat God er maar buiten.

A grinding war is the worst-case scenario for Ukraine — but not necessarily for NATO
This is the uncomfortable truth behind your question.
A grinding war: weakens Ukraine; destroys its population; drains its resources; risks its long-term viability
But for NATO, a grinding war: keeps Russia contained; avoids direct NATO–Russia confrontation; justifies rearmament; strengthens alliance cohesion (to a point);keeps the US engaged (as long as Congress agrees)
So the incentives are misaligned. Ukraine needs the war to end — or to be won decisively. NATO needs the war not to escalate — and not to be lost. Those are different goals.
- Nou ja, helemaal overtuigd lijkt AI me niet, maar dat is logisch want het moet zowel de geit als de kool sparen, maar dat Rutte zich averechts in de kaart heeft laten kijken lijkt me duidelijk. Veelzeggend dat niemand in de MSM aan dit scenario denkt. Misschien mogen ze het niet zo zeggen?
Hier in het Westen is Putin dom en slecht, maar tegen Putin pokeren dat zal niemand makkelijk vallen. Laten we hopen dat Putin nog lang in Rusland aan het roer blijft.







Post & Mu





































