Are AR-15’s weapons of war? Here’s what a former Fort Benning commander had to say

A former Fort Benning commander took a stand in the country's ongoing debate on gun control by posting a thread on the internet.

"For all intents and purposes, the AR-15 and rifles like it are weapons of war," retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton wrote on the social networking site.

As the former Commanding General of the Infantry Center at Fort Benning and Chief of Infantry, I know a bit about weapons. Let me state unequivocally — For all intents and purposes, the AR-15 and rifles like it are weapons of war. A thread:

— Major General (ret) Paul Eaton (@PaulDEaton52) June 2, 2022

The civilian version of the M16 was written about by a retired major general.

The weapon is similar to the one our troops use to kill enemies.

The differences between the M16, M4 and AR-15 were explained in a seven-tweet thread. He said that those opposed to assault weapon bans were playing with words.

He wrote, "Don't take the bait when anti-gun- safety folks argue about it." They are aware of it. You do as well.

That is why the AR-15 is ACCURATELY CALLED a ‘weapon of war.’ It is a very deadly weapon with the same basic functionality that our troops use to kill the enemy. Don’t take the bait when anti-gun-safety folks argue about it. They know it’s true. Now you do too. 7/7

— Major General (ret) Paul Eaton (@PaulDEaton52) June 2, 2022

One of the country's deadliest weeks in recent history took place on the heels of the tweet. The Uvalde, Texas shooting has claimed the lives of 17 people and injured 88 others, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Mass shooting is any shooting with four or more people shot, either injured or dead.