"So I did. Forgive me - I meant in the most general of terms." What amusement is displayed is mostly self-depreciating. "Though that tells me all I need to know."

Indeed. More than enough.

"...I trust your judgement in this matter. And I will say, it would do us no harm to have multiple purposes pursued at once. Be they diplomatic, or to be used if diplomacy fails."

For all that he wants to be optimistic about this...he is no fool.