I think the subtext here is that the “spy” in question was not the sharpest tool in the shed. You need some level of intelligence and knowledge to know what is

I think the subtext here is that the “spy” in question was not the sharpest tool in the shed. You need some level of intelligence and knowledge to know what is worth stealing and what to do with it. Getting a major with the sole purpose of industrial espionage and then telling people about it indicates a lot about the person in question.