They have a few millions/billion in stock riding on the line here, they have no real opinions other than the ones that will materialize in infinite money once their companies IPO and saddle the world with their money burning.

yes, and, a masquerading blindness to the fact that humans cannot align on doing the right thing or what the right thing even is. so implicit in this omission is the sentiment "trust us to align on the right thing". an arms dealer positioning itself as the de facto authority on what "peace" is and how to achieve it

> Are these scientists really this hideously naive?

Yes, because who else would have chosen to remain in this job?