SAN ANTONIO – San Antonians weighed in Friday on President Donald Trump's decision to authorize a U.S. missile launch in Syria.
"I think it was a very appropriate action to take. Probably long overdue," said Bill Grimes, who was on his way into a convenience store near downtown. "I don't have any fear. I trust that the leadership has thought this out."
Grimes said it's a move that the U.S. government should have taken long ago that could have possibly prevented the current situation in Syria.
In his address to the nation Thursday night, Trump said the bombing of a military base in Syria was in reaction to a deadly chemical attack on Syrian people, including many children.
Trump said his intelligence experts determined the Syrian government was behind the attack, and that the areas targeted by the missile launch were tied to that attack.
"I feel like it was a wise decision," said John Jones, a taxi driver. "Send a message to the whole world, yeah. But I'm not for war. Nobody is."
Patricia Benavides disagrees with the missile launch, saying the attack was too little, too late.
"The United States decided to keep Syrian refugees out, and now we're in there because of the chemical attack on children and adults," she said. "I feel we should've done something earlier. I'm not happy with the decision."
Benavides said she is equally concerned about the consequences the actions by the U.S. could have in the future. She fears Russia, a Syrian ally, could retaliate.
Esperanza Alatorre, a high school student, is a bit more optimistic.
"I'm not worried about what Russia's going to do because Russia's not in a place to make that move," Alatorre said. "This isn't the straw that broke the camel's back. We're not going to war."
No matter how they feel about the issue, most people who spoke with KSAT 12 News agreed that the issue is worth watching closely.
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