Local Syrian not sure about what role U.S. can play

LYNN – Online information keeps Syrian native Baseem Nsier informed about events unfolding in his homeland, but news of a deadly chemical attack and a possible American military response has deepened his concerns about the country’s two-year-old war.Nsier’s mother, several siblings and other relatives live in a Mediterranean coastal city untouched by violence but not immune to Syria’s unrest and warring factions. News reports and United Nations accounts during the last several days detailed a chemical attack that killed more than 100 people as well as possible plans for an American military action.”It’s worrisome and scary as it is. Now, with the chemical weapons, it’s worse,” Nsier said.The two-year Syrian civil war is “out of control,” Nsier said, with factions representing many different interests clashing. He said Syria has become a focal point for “agendas from all over the world” represented by individuals who have come to Syria and joined the fighting.”The biggest problem is international,” he said.The Associated Press on Tuesday reported that members of Congress want President Obama to ask for their approval before U.S. military action in Syria takes place. U.S. Rep. John Tierney sided with that view Tuesday.”I think the president is going to weigh options. I hope members will get to review them,” Tierney said.Nsier is not sure what role the United States can play in ending violence in his homeland. “The most important thing is looking for a political solution,” he said.Like many Syrians, the owner of Nina’s Market on Essex Street grew up in a large family and remembers the Syria of his boyhood as a beautiful country with breathtaking views steeped in history.News that the chemical attacks occurred in a Damascus suburb did not diminish Nsier’s pride in the city and the pride he takes in its boast of being the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city.”I like it so much,” he said.Syrian refugees, including ones seeking political asylum in the United States, could soon arrive in Lynn, said New American Center Director Natasha Soolkin.”That’s what we’ve heard from resettlement agencies,” she said.The Wheeler Street center helps arrange services, including child care and English language training, for individuals resettled in the U.S. by Boston-based refugee assistance agencies. Soolkin said it currently assists about 500 people from about 20 countries.Nsier came to the United States in 1986 and last visited Syria three years ago. He said the country’s worsening war won’t keep him from visiting his home again and hoping for better times to return.”It’s a picture-perfect place for people to live together in peace,” he said.