WTF? Gold issues

Singapor Sling-
Shima (Evil Aku-voiced Japanese admiral) reaches the meat of his presentation about the gold he stole and asks the most inebt question to the remaining Axis meeting attendees in these exact words,
"Gold cannot buy new weapons or ships, but what can it purchase?"

In plain english, explain to me who wrote this bloody script and why someone shouldn't slap them? Or if there is an underlying concept, please feel free to enlighten me?