Coloradans Have Strong Opinions About Syria Issue
DENVER (CBS4) - President Barack Obama has asked Congress to approve a military strike against Syria, but not everyone believes it's a good idea. There are some strong opinions in Denver and across the nation.
Protesters clashed with each other in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. Syrians in America engaged in a war of words with others fed up with America getting involved in another Middle Eastern battle. Anti-war activists spoke loudly. Some believe attacking Syria would help al Qaeda.
"Sending our boys with our airplanes and our missiles and our tax money to protect al Qaeda fighters in Syria is not a justified war," said Elias Zavaro, who is pro Bashar al-Assad.
Emotions are running high in Denver as well. Outside a Syrian-owned restaurant the owners claim pro-Assad government supporters engaged in a physical confrontation with them.
"It's absolutely heartbreaking, because regardless of your opinion on what's going on in Syria, to support his regime, his dictatorship, is absolutely horrendous," restaurant owner Obeid Kaifo said.
For years local Syrians have been begging for U.S. intervention.
"Most of Syrian people, they want (the) United States to attack Syria, to attack this regime," Manar Alzaeem from Denver said.
"Where (are) the strong countries? Where (are) the people that can decide about Syria? Nobody helps them," Mohammad Alissa from Denver said.
Alissa left his family behind 3 years ago. He's not surprised by the latest reports of the chemical attack against civilians, but he's also bitter because he says the world has done little to get rid of the Assad government.
"Why (are) we talking just about the chemicals? Before two years and until now he killed at least 200,000 people," Alissa said.
Any military action short of removing the Assad government is a sad joke to many Syrians.
So far Colorado's congressional delegation is only saying they need to study the complex issue.
