Former U.S. ambassador (under Obama) tries to use tanks as a gun control argument, gets educated on tank ownership in America

Former U.S. ambassador Michael McFaul put out the following argument, which was intended to be in favor of gun control.

Americans can’t buy tanks. Why should they be able to buy military assault rifles?

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) August 4, 2019

The problem with his logic is that he’s wrong.

A 2013 story from the Wall Street Journal gives details about private tank owners in the United States.

These Vehicles Are Tons of Fun, and Good for Thwarting Road Rage http://t.co/AqqHyPwqsf

— WSJ Free (@WSJfree) February 28, 2013

Scattered around the country are members of a small fraternity of guys who own tanks. They are hyper-avid history buffs or hyper-edgy investors or just wealthy men who can now afford hyper-sized versions of the toys they played with when they were boys. Tank brokers—yes, there is such a thing—estimate there are several hundred to 1,000 private tank owners in the U.S.

So actually, Americans can own tanks but are not able to purchase “military assault rifles.”

Americans can buy tanks. We can’t legally buy assault rifles absent special permission from the ATF. And we can’t buy assault rifles currently used by the military at all. Facts are fun. https://t.co/ReR9QUDdiS

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) August 4, 2019

Narrator: Americans can in fact buy tanks. https://t.co/cHIXUJQZWn

— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) August 4, 2019

Fun fact: you can actually buy a tank. https://t.co/57CEnY9WFO

— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) August 4, 2019

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I know people (as in more than one) who own tanks, and they already can’t buy “military assault rifles”. https://t.co/iOsNSaq4hR

— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) August 4, 2019

FWIW my neighbor actually had a tank and drove it around the neighborhood on Halloween and kept it parked in the cul-de-sac, so what I’m saying is people can buy tanks if they have the $ to spare. https://t.co/bPnCSWPHFZ

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 4, 2019

One notable American tank owner is Houston attorney Tony Buzbee.

Tell that to Tony Buzbee https://t.co/RuSEg3TyCC https://t.co/3YO5BqZ2jF

— Jessica Fletcher (@heckyessica) August 4, 2019

McFaul was the United States’ ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration from 2012 to 2014.

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