Why do you have a gripe with that comment? It comes down to how closely the modern jet cockpit environment resembles the GA single pilot IFR experience you describe. Clearly, these people dont think there is a lot of value in that experience. Since military jet training is conducted in closer to the "straight to jets" method than the "thousands of prop hours" method, you would have to say there is some merit there.
IMHO, it is more to do with the selection of the candidate. The thousands of hours single pilot IFR ops just serves to prove the candidate is up to it.