Unfortunately

they have been told this seemingly forever.

'Spend Money on Poverty, Not Arms,' says World Vision Chief

Spending money on poverty can only feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc. Spending money on arms can make people do what you want. Which is going to win?

(Does anyone remember that wonderful cartoon that was published some time after Terry Fox's run in Canada that showed a one-legged military General and the caption was something to the effect that the author was waiting for the day that medical research was given billions of dollars for the asking and that a General had to run across the country on one leg to raise money for a bomb. Priceless!)