Widmore’s end game with Desmond…

How does Desmond nullify the MIB ability or contain him for that matter? I guess this is part of what Charles Widmore meant when he spoke to Sawyer when he said something to the effect of it’s a shame how little you truly know when he was referring to his plans concerning the MIB. Is everything he and Eloise told Desmond about him never being a “great man” all just part of a plan to place Desmond in the right position at the right time? Are these two playing a game inside the bigger game being played out by Jacob and the MIB?