A possible U.S. strike does not seem to worry Syrians much as they are preoccupied to make the best out of an economy battered by the 30-month-old conflict and foreign sanctions, local media reports said.
The reports suggested that Syrians' worries over the economic conditions are much bigger than those over the U.S. strike, as they are too busy striving to meet their families' basic needs to think about any other issue.
"We have been through a war for nearly three years and a U.S. strike will do nothing more," said a woman, who was buying foodstuff in one of Syria's old markets.
"They (the Americans) have already suffocated us by their economic sanctions that have sent prices skyrocketing. So their attacks will not affect our dead bodies," she added.
A recent report said Syria's inflation rate hit a record high in the first quarter of 2013.
The Central Bureau of Statistics announced recently that the annual inflation rate has reached 85 percent by the end of March 2013, adding that the Consumer Price Index for the same period reached 299.53 points.
Moreover, there are other more shocking estimates. One U.S. research institution recently put Syria's rate of inflation at as high as 200 percent.
Ihab A-Ismander, chief at an export promotion group, told local media that the Syrian exports recorded a 90-percent decline during the current year until August, and that non-oil exports recorded a 50-percent decline.
Al-Ismander indicated that business in Syria is currently facing a lot of difficulties as the production capacity of some factories and facilities has been enormously affected by the crisis, some of them out of operation.
On Thursday, Jordan announced that it had halted its agricultural exports to Syria owing to the developments in the unrest-torn country, a decision that would hike the prices of vegetables and fruit in Syria.
Prices of vegetables and fruit have reached an unprecedented level as one kg of beans is now sold at 300 Syrian pounds, up from 60 pounds before the crisis.
The purchasing power of the Syrian pound has remarkably dropped as it is traded at 225 against one dollar in the black market, up from 47 before the crisis.
The Central Bank of Syria has intervened in the black market to prevent any further depreciation of the pound. The government also clamped down on manipulating exchange companies and arrested several money dealers.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Senate Democrats to seek support for a military action against Damascus to "punish" it over alleged use of chemical weapons.
As the strike looms, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on Monday visited Moscow for talks with Damascus' staunchest ally.
In an interview to veteran CBS and PBS newsman Charlie Rose that will be aired soon, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is expected to insist again he was not behind the Aug. 21 gas attack in a Damascus suburb.
