"It would take Ra's al Ghul to resolve the problems of this city" dereferences directly to "It would take [mass gassing the residents of Baltimore to death] to

"It would take Ra's al Ghul to resolve the problems of this city" dereferences directly to "It would take [mass gassing the residents of Baltimore to death] to resolve the problems of this city", as Batman Begins is the scheme being referred to. Both are hyperbole, but that is indeed what was said and implied. Defend it as rhetoric, don't gaslight it as a purposeful misreading.