In Damascus, war-weary Syrians unfazed by threat of U.S. military strike

Assad appears at ease despite threat of U.S. airstrikes in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria -- President Trump may punish the Assad regime for an apparent chemical weapons attack that was carried out against civilians in Syria. While the threat of a U.S. military strike may be on minds there, it's not showing much. 

Medical student Khaled al-Anaz, 23, says he hasn't done anything differently in response to the news. 

"I have an ordinary life," al-Anaz said. 

It was a typical Thursday in a working class, residential neighborhood of Damascus, where people have heard about the alleged chemical attack and simply don't believe their government was behind it. 

"How could Trump know if the terrorists used it or if the Syrian government did this?" al-Anaz asked. 

U.S. examines evidence in suspected chemical attack in Syria

Syrian President Bashar Assad has been seemingly at ease and unfazed in a number of times this week. He said that Western threats of military action are based on lies. 

Ali Jallal, who works in a clothing store, told us he is not scared about the prospect of a U.S. strike. 

"We've had war for seven years," Jallal said. 

They're numb after so much war. In fact, Jallal questions whether the U.S. will really take action. 

Syria's strongest battlefield ally, Russia, claimed victory on Thursday in Douma, where Saturday's alleged chemical attack took place. 

When CBS News asked to visit Douma, authorities said it's still dangerous and the Syrian government is not fully in control. The government may make work difficult for the chemical weapons inspectors who are set to start their investigation on Saturday. 

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.