You mean to tell me that it takes eight months to be auto-Vacationed, and that Vacationing doesn't invalidate any wars upon the Vacationed user, and that the auto-Vacationing doesn't happen concurrently with turn processing, and that the game checks to see if someone should be auto-Vacationed after war were declared? That'd be a special level of ineptitude on Alex's part, don't you think?
Yes, but as my war declaration is a Raid, I attacked with the express intent of draining funds from that nation. With them in Vacation Mode, somehow, I get precisely no dollars from my attacks.
What you're talking about is a bug, not an exploit, since attacking this guy who is in Vacation Mode does nothing for me except cost me money to replace the soldiers who trip and break their necks attacking an undefended nation for no reward. However, if we assume even minimal competence on Alex's part, I shouldn't have been able to attack this guy at all. if vmode=1, then wars_allowed=0; easy stuff. So the next most reasonable option is someone who likes to see Number Go Up is somehow managing to proc Vacation Mode to protect his dollars.
TL;DR: GIMME DA LOOT, GIMME DA LOOT, GIMME DA LOOT!