I don't think Intel did it intentionally, but having a CISC external interface and RISC internal is a good idea. They both have pluses and minuses. You need a lot more RISC instructions for a comparable program than CISC, which means your cache fills up quicker, you also need to fetch instructions a lot more. Combining the best of both approaches is a good idea.
Yes, because a gun is going to help you against a tank or an F-15 circling above your house. Times change, what made sense 200 years ago might not make sense anymore...