re: Not what we WANT to hear?
The way I figure it is that IF they are intelligent, then they will simply study us, same as we would study bugs on Mars. We do that and we are not "intelligent" enough to travel interstellar distances.
On the other hand If they are "really intelligent" they will stay away from Earth, after all we might kill and dissect them in the name of scientific study. (or fear of superior intelligence).
Johannes