So at the end of the "feeding misinformation" quest you sit down and have a nice chat with Chief Hanlon. He tells you he did it deliberately and that it "keeps Rangers alive". I loved these chats with important NPCs, but I still don't quite get what he means?

Is he giving out misinformation to keep them on their toes? Is it to give them something to do?

I'm confused.

He wants them to pull out.

Or stay with in safe parameter, or avoiding a major battle started by NCR....

Basically he's feeding misinformation up the chain in the hopes that it prevents any combat actions and/or make the NCR brass think the mission is too dangerous so they pull out of the Mojave, therefore preventing more NCR troops from being killed because he's lost faith in the NCR's mission at the Hoover Dam, in New Vegas, and just in the Mojave in general.

Thank you, that explains it.