I hasten to add that only some 3 years ago I was in conversation with an Argentinian pilot who gave me advice never to trust any of their military pilots, when I questioned why he informed me that the invasion had been decided when their military leader, that geezer with white hair as I recall, had been drunk
Interested to know who his drinking buddies were at that time.
He wouldn't be the first dictator briefed by a foreign individual suggesting that someone had no strategic interest in a particular place, had no military support etc etc......10 years later some guy in Baghdad had the same idea.
Guess if you can massage the ego for a while they believe it and then put a suggestion forward.