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Many local Syrians have complicated feelings on strike ordered by President Trump

Posted at 6:48 PM, Apr 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-07 18:48:29-04

Local Syrians are praising the president's actions in Syria with cautious optimism.

"At first I thought maybe Trump is trying to show Obama how to enforce a red line." Hassan Shibly, Executive Director of CAIR Florida, said. "At the same time we wonder, was it done simply to appease the public."

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Shibly was born in Syria and moved to the U.S. as a child. His emotions are as complicated as the Syrian conflict itself.

The images he's seen for the past 5 years have been heart breaking, especially after the chemical attack earlier this week.

"I just think, with a slight change in fate, I might have been over there seeing my children suffocating to death." He said.

He believes more intervention from a force of several nations can potentially solve the civil war and the problems that come with it. The key, he says, is getting rid of Syria's leader.

"The refugee crisis and the humanitarian crisis will not be solved as long as Assad is in power." He said.

"Everything was very expensive. Getting bread or anything to eat was very hard to find." Mohamed Harraka, a Syrian Refugee living in Hillsborough County, said.

Harraka, 16, fled Syria with his family as the civil war approached his home in Aleppo. Much of his family is still there.

"My aunts and uncles are still there, my grandfather is still there." He said.

His feelings about more U.S. action in Syria are mixed.

"The U.S. intervention could lead to a positive future, but at the same time, it could lead to a negative future if other people get involved."

"Until we see real change that leads to de-escalation of violence in the region to hold the Assad government responsible, I think it's difficult to have hope." Shibly said.