Covert action should not be confused with missionary work.

Kissinger’s line draws a sharp boundary between clandestine statecraft and moral or ideological evangelism. “Covert action” implies secret interventions—propaganda, political influence, paramilitary support—undertaken to advance national interests under conditions of deniability. By warning that it should not be treated as “missionary work,” the quote rejects the idea that such operations are vehicles for spreading virtue, democracy, or any universal creed. The implication is that covert tools are ethically and strategically hazardous when driven by zeal or moral certainty; they require restraint, clear objectives, and a sober assessment of consequences rather than a crusading mindset.