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?
I don’t think you understand how a cold war battle plan works.
It’s 97.5 % Rhetorical exchanges.
If you see a retraction of the comment, then he had a brain fart, but I don’t think that is what it was. Because the comment is a folksy and inaccurate statement.
Less experienced officers from countries like China or Iran as often prone to making statements like that in a public forum, but not US officers.
So either he was drinking and made a mistake, or it was intentional.