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Syrian couple reacts to crisis in native country
Syrian couple reacts to crisis in native country
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Shamcy and Dima Alghazzy, originally of Syria, say Bashar al-Assad's regime has tormented the people of their native country for far too long.
The couple hopes an alleged chemical attack that recently killed 1,400 civilians will be the world's last straw.
"It's been a very scary two years, but it's been petrifying for the last two weeks," said Alghazzy. "He's been unchecked for so long and he's upping the ante and it culminated in last week's massacre. He has to be stopped."
The Syrian natives, who now call Milwaukee home, say they're encouraged by the speech President Obama gave Saturday, August 31st, but believe any U.S. attack must be limited to carefully planned airstrikes.
"A strike that is surgical, that is hitting most of his vital points, would weaken him enough to force him to the negotiating table," said Alghazzy.
The Alghazzy's say the achievable objective should be weakening Assad's regime while allowing the Syrian people to determine their own fate.
"They just don't want boots on the ground. They want the help. They want to do it themselves and hopefully that's what's going to happen," said Alghazzy.
The couple also believes the U.S. should not set out to remove Assad from office but rather push him to the negotiating table, and possibly call for his resignation at that time.