One would suppose that retired service officers. though almost always men of great ability. would have an instinctive tendency to take a rather narrow. strictly "operational" view of the problems confronting them. Similarly. Is it wise to rely too heavily on the services of political exiles and refugees? It seems reasonable. for example. to suppose that an exile from Ruritania. especially someone who has passionate convictions about what course events in his homeland ought to take. may not be the best person to assess what course events in his homeland actually are taking. especially if what is actually happening is not to his taste. Please do not misunderstand me. I do not mean to impugn the enormous amount of valuable work being done by retired service officers and by exiles and refugees in the CIA. Without their help. the organization simply could not function. Altogether the Central Intelligence Agency undoubtedly commands some of the ablest minds in the U.S.
Identified stereotypes
Political exiles and refugees may not be the best people to assess events in their homeland.