The Boeing Company (BA), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC): Obama Approves Arms Package for Syria

There are a number of senators on both sides of the aisle that have serious concerns about arming Syrian rebels. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), said: “The president’s unilateral decision to arm Syrian rebels is incredibly disturbing, considering what little we know about whom we are arming. Engaging in yet another conflict in the Middle East with no vote or Congressional oversight compounds the severity of this situation.” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), said: “I’m deeply skeptical about plans for military intervention in Syria, given the dangerously fractured state of the opposition, and the very real risk of American weapons and money falling into the hands of the same terrorist organizations we’re already fighting around the world.”

What to watch for
So far, the Obama administration has declined to specify what arms the U.S. will send to Syria. But the White House has described a recently approved arms package as “mostly light weapons,” while the rebels have stated their need for anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. The good news is Ahmed al-Jarba, the coalition’s newly elected president, has publicly rejected an alliance with jihadists and repeatedly stressed his desire to have Syria be a pluralistic democracy. Still, on Thursday, Kerry stated that “there is no military solution” to Syria’s civil war and said the only way forward is through political negotiations.

The newly approved arms package seems to indicate that the U.S. will arm Syrian rebels, but given that the decision is political, a lot could happen between now and delivery. Regardless, this is another example of why defense companies are here to stay. There will always be dictators and corrupt leaders threatening the safety of their, and other nation’s, people. Consequently, there will always be a need for weapons, and their makers. As such, defense contractors make a great long-term investment.

The article Obama Approves Arms Package for Syria originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Katie Spence.

Fool contributor Katie Spence owns shares of Northrop Grumman. Follow her on Twitter: @TMFKSpence. The Motley Fool owns shares of Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.

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