The interplay between Hoffman and Ferris

I watched this film again recently and paid more attention to the dance between Ferris and Hoffman, two completely different CIA officers.

On the face of it, Hoffman is a hick, not very sophisticated and culturally ignorant. He is openly contemptuous of the Middle East. When he tells his wife that he is "saving civilisation", he is not joking. Ferris on the other hand, is more engaged. He speaks Arabic, and he observes the protocol of showing respect to the head of Jordanian Intelligence.

Hoffman has a more strategic brain, he sees the war on terror as a global struggle,with the Middle East as just one battlefield amongst many.He is the classic big picture man. Ferris may be a vital agent in the Middle East, who may one day take Hoffman's job.However, Ferris is ultimately seen as expendable by Hoffman. In the big picture, you cannot afford to be sentimental.Ferris realises this, decides that he can no longer trust Hoffman.