Not mutually exclusive though is it? You can aspire to dominate the market via legal status and also aspire to prevent a perceived doomsday at the same time.
Like how Tony Soprano sold sandwiches and ‘protection’ at the same time. Two income streams are better than one.
Sure, if you take their words as honest truth, good faith statements. But to do that you have you ignore all their actions leading up to and after the call to disarm