US was openly funding and training rebels as early as 2013: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-crisis-first-cia-trained-rebel-unit-about

US was openly funding and training rebels as early as 2013: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-crisis-first-cia-trained-rebel-unit-about-to-join-fighting-against-assad-regime-says-president-8796873.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-cr... And the US had been covertly funding the opposition for at least 5 years before the war erupted: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0418/Cables-reveal-covert-US-support-for-Syria-s-opposition http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0418/...