I’d quibble a bit — wasn’t about being 3rd world; Islamic terrorists destroyed those Afghan Buddhas as part and parcel and policy of their sick faux religion.
In this case “Third World” was used as simply a shorthand term. Egypt, for example has a large fanatical religious group running around. Imagine if they obtain control, or bomb a museum ? Best keep the precious artifacts in Europe, for even in a war they were protected.