“In reality, you cannot pick and choose only the conclusions you like of this National Intelligence Estimate,” Gates said. “Since that government now acknowledges the quality of American intelligence assessments, I assume that it also will embrace as valid American intelligence assessments of its funding and training of militia groups in Iraq.”

Cognitive psychologists speak of something called “cognitive distortions,” which are patterns of dysfunctional thinking that can result in a distorted view of reality. One of those distortions is “all or nothing thinking.” Like saying that a complex document put together by multiple people from multiple sources over a period of time must be either accepted as 100% accurate fact, or rejected completely. There is no possibility that someone might concede the accuracy of some of the document, but consider some of the research or conclusions to be flawed.

But Gates doesn’t stop there. He then makes the leap to say that if you consider this document to be accurate, then you must concede the accuracy of every other document produced by this same organization. You agree we got something right: therefore, you must agree 100% with everything we’ve ever said! So there!

But what if the same group puts out something wrong? What if, say, American intelligence were to assert that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, or that all of the evidence of torture had already been handed over to a federal court? What if those assertions were wrong? According to Gates thinking, wouldn’t it be logical to conclude that every pronouncement from American intelligence is incorrect?