Well, My reply was to assure you that there are no old plans to dust..
The statement is what it is...Rhetorical warfare, if you will.
I think it was just a phrase to describe what they are doing, at least that is the way I hear it.
Rhetorical warfare of what type? What is the great significance of gently saying that they are dusting off their Russia papers, instead of saying we are making plans against Russia?
Which do you think sounds better to the public?