Story highlights U.S. State Department has added al-Nusra Front in Syria to its list of terrorist organizations

Some Syrian rebels object, saying al-Nusra's expertise is needed in fight against regime

The U.S. wants to build up a moderate political opposition for a future post-Assad Syria

Al-Nusra says it wants Syria to be an Islamic state, but it's not formally linked to al Qaeda

In designating the al-Nusra Front as a foreign terrorist organization and an offshoot of al Qaeda in Iraq, the U.S. State Department has put flesh on the bones of its policy of discriminating between the "bad" Syrian rebels and the "good" ones. But the decision is getting mixed reviews in Syria.

Rebels in brigades fighting around Aleppo have told CNN that the move is a miscalculation. Their argument goes something like this: "The U.S. and the West in general have given us next to no help while we've witnessed thousands die at the hands of Bashar al-Assad's heavy weaponry and dominance of the skies.

"To add insult to injury, Washington has now proscribed one of the most effective fighting forces among rebel groups. We may not share al-Nusra's worldview, but we need their organizational and battlefield experience."

This has translated into resentment and anger toward the United States on the ground, as people ask: "Al-Nusra are terrorists, but Bashar is not?"

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Photos: Unrest in Syria Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – In this photo provided by the anti-government activist group Aleppo Media Center, Syrian men help survivors out of a building in Aleppo after it was bombed, allegedly by a Syrian regime warplane on Saturday, February 8. The United Nations estimates more than 100,000 people have been killed since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011. Click through to see the most compelling images taken during the conflict, which is now a civil war: Hide Caption 1 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians gather at a site hit by barrel bombs, allegedly dropped by a regime helicopter on the opposition-controlled Mesekin Hananu district of Aleppo on February 8. Hide Caption 2 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Civilians wave national flags as they take part in a rally in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, in a handout photo released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency on February 8. Hide Caption 3 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man stands next to debris in the road following a reported airstrike by Syrian government forces in the northern city of Aleppo on February 8. Hide Caption 4 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Medical personnel look for survivors after a reported airstrike in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, February 1. Hide Caption 5 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians carry a dead body following an airstrike on February 1. Hide Caption 6 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man walks amid debris and dust on January 31. Hide Caption 7 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – An injured man is covered in dust after an airstrike on January 29. Hide Caption 8 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man tries to fix electrical wires in a neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria, on January 27. Hide Caption 9 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels and civilians check out a crater that activists say resulted from a Syrian government airstrike on an Aleppo bus station on Tuesday, January 21. Hide Caption 10 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Men rush to a site that Syrian government forces reportedly hit in Aleppo on January 21. Hide Caption 11 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Buildings lie in ruins in Aleppo on Sunday, January 19, after reported air raids by Syrian government planes. Hide Caption 12 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian child collects items from a garbage pile on Saturday, January 18, in Douma, northeast of the capital. Hide Caption 13 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A piece of exploded mortar lies in a street in Daraya, a city southwest of Damascus, on Friday, January 17. Hide Caption 14 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Residents search for survivors in Aleppo on Saturday, December 28, 2013, after what activists said were airstrikes by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Hide Caption 15 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man appears distraught after an air raid in Aleppo on Monday, December 23. Hide Caption 16 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters sit in a damaged house in Old Aleppo on Saturday, December 21. Hide Caption 17 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People search for survivors amid the rubble after an airstrike in Aleppo on Tuesday, December 17. Hide Caption 18 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man sits on the ground after the airstrike in Aleppo on December 17. Hide Caption 19 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A woman carries children following airstrikes on a rebel area of Aleppo on Sunday, December 15. Hide Caption 20 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians look at the aftermath of an airstrike on a rebel area of Aleppo on December 15. Hide Caption 21 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians help a wounded woman following airstrikes in Aleppo on December 15. Hide Caption 22 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians look at the aftermath of an airstrike on a rebel area of Aleppo on December 15. Hide Caption 23 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebel fighters clash with pro-government forces in Aleppo on Wednesday, December 11. Hide Caption 24 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A woman weeps inside a damaged vehicle after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad captured the town of Nabak on Monday, December 9. Hide Caption 25 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter takes position during fighting with government forces in Deir Ezzor on Monday, December 2. Hide Caption 26 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Shiite fighters from a group called the Hussein Brigade search for rebels from the Free Syrian Army in Hejeira on Thursday, November 21. Hide Caption 27 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army rebels battle government forces in Aleppo on Monday, November 18. Hide Caption 28 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter holds his position in a damaged building during clashes with government forces in Deir Ezzor on Monday, November 11. Hide Caption 29 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter fires during clashes with government forces in Deir Ezzor on November 11. Hide Caption 30 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter prepares an improvised mortar shell in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, November 9. Hide Caption 31 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Two injured men are transported on a cart in Aleppo, Syria, following shelling as fighting between pro-government forces and rebels continues on Saturday, October 26. Hide Caption 32 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters hold a position in Deir Ezzor, Syria, on Thursday, October 24. Hide Caption 33 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter stands in the doorway of a building as he smokes a cigarette in Deir Ezzor, Syria, on Tuesday, October 22. Hide Caption 34 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People use buckets as they try to extinguish a fire that ignited at a fuel station in Aleppo, Syria, on Sunday, October 20. Hide Caption 35 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter aims a catapult toward regime forces in Aleppo, Syria, on Thursday, October 17. Hide Caption 36 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Firefighters extinguish a burning vehicle after two mortar rounds struck the Abu Roumaneh area in Damascus, Syria, on Saturday, October 12. Hide Caption 37 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter aims as others run for cover while they hold a position behind burning tires in the Salaheddin district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Wednesday, October 9. Hide Caption 38 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter smokes a cigarette as he takes a break following the injury of his friend in the Salaheddin neighborhood of Aleppo on October 9. Hide Caption 39 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises after a mortar shell hit a residential area during fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels in Maaret al-Numan, Syria, on October, 9. Hide Caption 40 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters cover a car in mud for camouflage at an undisclosed location in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday, October 8. Hide Caption 41 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Masked female rebel fighters walk alongside their trainer on a street in the Salaheddin district of Aleppo, Syria, on October 8. Hide Caption 42 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter prays moments before heading into battle in Maaret al-Numan, Syria, on Monday, October 7. Hide Caption 43 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A mother comforts her baby in an area where she and her family have taken shelter after fleeing their village turned battlefield in Syria's Idlib province on Sunday, September 22. Hide Caption 44 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man checks an AK-47 at his gun shop in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, September 21. Hide Caption 45 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters take cover moments after firing a rocket toward government forces in the Idlib province of northern Syria on Friday, September 20. Hide Caption 46 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters inspect a stairwell amid fighting against Syrian government forces on Thursday, September 19, in the Saif al-Dawla district of Aleppo, Syria. Hide Caption 47 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian child sits in a village in the Idlib province countryside on September 19. Hide Caption 48 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Opposition fighters react after returning from the battlefield in the Idlib province countryside on September 19. Hide Caption 49 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises after a bomb was thrown from a helicopter, hitting a rebel position during heavy fighting between troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters in the Idlib province on September 19. Hide Caption 50 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters duck behind a barricade from firing in Aleppo on Wednesday, September 18. Hide Caption 51 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – AFP reporter Sammy Ketz hits the ground as a Syrian soldier runs past during sniper fire in Maalula on September 18. Ketz and a photographer were reporting on the ancient Christian Syrian town northeast of Damascus. Hide Caption 52 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter takes a break on a mountain near a rebel camp in Idlib province on September 18. Hide Caption 53 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter rests inside a cave at a rebel camp in Idlib province on Tuesday, September 17. Hide Caption 54 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Volunteers wear protective gear to show a class how to respond to a chemical attack in Aleppo, Syria, on September 15. For two months, Mohammad Zayed, an Aleppo University student, has been training a group of 26 civilians to respond to a chemical attack. Hide Caption 55 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syria's pro-Assad militia rest near Maalula, Syria, on Friday, September 13. Hide Caption 56 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian soldiers take aim at rebel fighters positioned in the mountains of the Christian town of Maalula on September 13. Hide Caption 57 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels parade at a former military academy north of Aleppo during a September 13 ceremony to mark an agreement to unite two rebel brigade forces. Hide Caption 58 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A fighter of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command squats next to the covered body of an alleged foreign rebel fighter in the Yarmouk refugee camp in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Thursday, September 12. Hide Caption 59 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter runs in front of a sniper curtain in the industrial area of Deir Ezzor, Syria, during clashes with regime forces on September 12. Hide Caption 60 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A sheet hangs across an alley way to shield fighters from sniper fire as a fighter of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command walks past destroyed buildings in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus, Syria, on September 12. Hide Caption 61 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter stands guard inside a damaged house in Aleppo's Qastal al-Harami neighborhood on September 11. Hide Caption 62 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters climb a flight of stairs to take positions near the Hanano barracks on September 11. Hide Caption 63 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian government tank is seen during clashes with Free Syrian Army fighters in Maaloula, Syria, on September 11. Hide Caption 64 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A funeral is held on September 11 for three Christian Syrians killed during battles with an al Qaeda-linked rebel group that took control of the historic Christian town of Maaloula from regime forces during the weekend. Hide Caption 65 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man walks through a destroyed residential area of Saraqib, Syria, on Monday, September 9, following repeated airstrikes by government forces. Hide Caption 66 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A soldier wears a picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his chest while at a market in old Damascus on September 8. Hide Caption 67 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter prays in a trench in the Damascus suburbs on September 8. Hide Caption 68 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter takes up a shooting position in Aleppo on September 8. Hide Caption 69 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover in Raqqa province on September 8. Hide Caption 70 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Buildings are heavily damaged in the Salah al-Din area of Aleppo on September 8. Hide Caption 71 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A boy named Issa , 10, carries a mortar shell in a weapons factory of the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo on Saturday, September 7. The boy works with his father in the factory. Hide Caption 72 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Issa fixes a mortar launcher in the Aleppo weapons factory on September 7. Hide Caption 73 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A bedroom lies in ruins after clashes between government forces and rebels around Ariha on September 7. Hide Caption 74 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian forces are seen in the Syrian Christian town of Maaloula on September 7. Hide Caption 75 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian soldier prepares large-caliber bullets for a machine gun in Maaloula on September 7. Hide Caption 76 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man stands inside a home damaged by heavy shelling in Arbeen, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, on September 7. Hide Caption 77 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Men gather on the remains of a destroyed building after reported airstrikes by Syrian government forces in the rebel-held northwestern Syrian province of Idlib on Thursday, September 5. Hide Caption 78 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter takes cover as he watches forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad near Hanano barracks in Aleppo on September 3. Hide Caption 79 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters walk inside a damaged house in Aleppo on September 3. Hide Caption 80 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters talk inside a burnt house in Aleppo on September 3. Hide Caption 81 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter peeks through the curtains of a bedroom in Deir ez-Zor, Syria, on Monday, September 2. Hide Caption 82 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters take their positions behind piled sandbags, as one of them points his weapon, in Deir ez-Zor on September 2. Hide Caption 83 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter points his weapon at Syrian regime forces in Deir ez-Zor on September 2. Hide Caption 84 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian firefighters try to extinguish a fire after a missile hit a residential building in Damascus, Syria, on September 2. Hide Caption 85 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A U.N. arms expert collects samples during an inspection of a suspected chemical weapons strike site in the Ghouta area outside Damascus on August 29. Hide Caption 86 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People search for belongings in rubble in Raqqa, Syria, on August 29. Hide Caption 87 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters launch a rocket toward forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Deir Ezzor on August 29. Hide Caption 88 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian Kurd uses hay to hide another woman in a training session organized by the Kurdish Women's Defense Units on Wednesday, August 28, in a northern Syrian border village. They're preparing if the area comes under attack. Hide Caption 89 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters escort U.N. vehicles with chemical weapons experts on August 28 through a site of a suspected chemical weapons attack outside Damascus. Hide Caption 90 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter takes position behind sandbags in the old city of Aleppo, Syria, on Tuesday, August 27. Hide Caption 91 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A U.N. team leaves its Damascus, Syria, hotel in a convoy on Monday, August 26. The team was to investigate an alleged chemical attack that killed hundreds last week in a suburb of the Syrian capital. Sniper fire hit a vehicle used by the U.N. chemical weapons investigation team multiple times Monday, according to the United Nations. Hide Caption 92 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian soldier walks down a street in Damascus on Saturday, August 24. Hide Caption 93 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Pigeons lie dead on the ground on August 24 from after what activists say is the use of chemical weapons by government forces in the Damascus suburb of Arbeen. Hide Caption 94 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Columns of smoke rise in Barzeh after heavy shelling on Friday, August 23. Hide Caption 95 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A young Free Syrian Army fighter is reflected in a mirror as he takes position in a house in Aleppo on Thursday, August 22. Hide Caption 96 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels move around a building in Aleppo on August 22. Hide Caption 97 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels claim pro-government forces used chemical weapons to kill citizens outside Damascus on Wednesday, August 21. People inspect bodies in this photo released by the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network. Hide Caption 98 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People search the rubble of a bombed building in Aleppo, Syria, on Friday, August 16. Hide Caption 99 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Men bury the bodies of six members of the same family killed in a bombing in Raqqa on Saturday, August 10. Hide Caption 100 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian Army soldiers patrol a devastated street in Homs on Wednesday, July 31. Hide Caption 101 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters move through a hole in a wall in Khan al-Assal on Monday, July 22, after seizing the town. Hide Caption 102 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter walks past swings in a deserted playground in Deir al-Zor, Syria, on Sunday, July 21. Hide Caption 103 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter speaks with a fellow fighter through a hole in a wall in Deir al-Zor on July 21. Hide Caption 104 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter casts a shadow on a wall as he carries his weapon in a shelter in Deir al-Zor on Thursday, July 18. Hide Caption 105 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Yahya Sweed, 13, is comforted by his father as he lies on a bed in Kfar Nubul on Tuesday, July 16. The boy was injured by shrapnel, resulting in the amputation of his right leg. Hide Caption 106 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter naps in a trench about 300 feet from the Syrian government forces' positions along the highway connecting Idlib with Latakia on Monday, July 15. Hide Caption 107 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter uses a hole in the wall of a destroyed school to aim at Syrian government forces in the Izaa district of Aleppo on Sunday, July 14. Hide Caption 108 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter uses a mirror to scope out snipers loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Friday, July 12. Hide Caption 109 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter stands over a boy who was injured during shelling in Al-Bara on Monday, July 8. Hide Caption 110 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army fire a homemade rocket toward regime forces in Deir al-Zor on Sunday, June 16. Hide Caption 111 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels leave their position in the northwestern town of Maaret al-Numan on Thursday, June 13. The White House said that the Syrian government has crossed a "red line" with its use of chemical weapons and announced it would start arming the rebels. Hide Caption 112 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are seen near Qusayr on Thursday, May 30. Hide Caption 113 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels take position in a house during clashes with regime forces in the old city of Aleppo on May 22. Hide Caption 114 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian army soldiers take control of the village of Western Dumayna north of the rebel-held city of Qusayr on Monday, May 13. Syrian troops captured three villages in Homs province, allowing them to cut supply lines to rebels inside Qusayr town, a military officer told AFP. Hide Caption 115 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters fire at government forces in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday, May 12. Hide Caption 116 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Searchers use a flashlight as they look for survivors among the rubble created by what activists say was a missile attack from the Syrian regime, in Raqqa province, Syria, on April 25. Hide Caption 117 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Kurdish fighter from the "Popular Protection Units" (YPG) takes position inside a building in the majority-Kurdish Sheikh Maqsood area of Aleppo, on Apri. 21. Hide Caption 118 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People walk past destroyed houses in the northern Syrian town of Azaz on Sunday, April 21. Hide Caption 119 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters take positions prior to an offensive against government forces in the Khan al-Assal area, near Aleppo on Saturday, April 20. Hide Caption 120 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Men inspect damage at a house destroyed in an airstrike in Aleppo on April 15. Hide Caption 121 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian and Kurdish rebel fighters walk in the Sheikh Maqsud district of Aleppo on April 14. Hide Caption 122 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A female rebel monitors the movement of Syrian government forces in Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood on Thursday, April 11. Hide Caption 123 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel runs to avoid sniper fire from Syrian government forces in Aleppo on April 11. Hide Caption 124 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels observe the movement of Syrian government forces around Al-Kendi hospital in Aleppo on Wednesday, April 10. Hide Caption 125 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rescue teams and security forces check out the scene of a deadly car bomb explosion in Damascus on April 8. Hide Caption 126 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – The fighting has taken a toll on buildings in Aleppo's Saladin district, seen here on April 8. Hide Caption 127 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel runs for cover in Deir ez-Zor on April 2. Hide Caption 128 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel checks for snipers across the street toward the Citadel in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, March 30, in this photo taken by iReporter Lee Harper. Hide Caption 129 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian fighter mourns the death of a friend in Aleppo on March 30, in this photo taken by iReporter Lee Harper. Hide Caption 130 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter runs for cover from Syrian army snipers in Aleppo on Wednesday, March 27. Hide Caption 131 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian girl covers her face to protect herself from fumes as a street covered with uncollected garbage is fumigated in Aleppo on Sunday, March 24. Hide Caption 132 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man and his family drive past damaged buildings in Maarat al-Numan, on Wednesday, March 20. Hide Caption 133 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians carry the body of a Syrian army soldier during a funeral ceremony in Idlib province on Tuesday, March 19. Hide Caption 134 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels take position in Aleppo, the largest city in the country, on March 11. Hide Caption 135 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian men search for their relatives amongst the bodies of civilians executed and dumped in the Quweiq River on March 11. Hide Caption 136 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter looks back as smoke rises during fighting between rebel fighters and forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on the outskirts of Aleppo on Saturday, March 2. Hide Caption 137 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Residents read Shaam News newspapers published by the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo on March 2. Hide Caption 138 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A member of the Free Syrian Army reacts to the death of a comrade who was killed in fighting, at Bustan al Qasr cemetery in Aleppo on Friday, March 1. Hide Caption 139 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter throws a home-made grenade at Syrian government forces in Aleppo on February 16. Hide Caption 140 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A member of the Free Syrian Army stands with his weapon as he looks at a rainbow in Aleppo on February 16. Hide Caption 141 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian woman looks through a bus window in Aleppo on February 14. Hide Caption 142 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters walk through a dust-filled stairwell in Damascus on February 7. Hide Caption 143 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel gestures at comrades from inside a broken armored personnel carrier in Al-Yaqubia on February 6. Hide Caption 144 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter throws a hand grenade inside a Syrian Army base in Damascus on February 3. Hide Caption 145 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People stand in the dust of a building destroyed in an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria on February 3. Hide Caption 146 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters run as they enter a Syrian Army base during heavy fighting in the Arabeen neighborhood of Damascus on February 3. Hide Caption 147 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – An unexploded mortar shell fired by the Syrian Army sits lodged in the ground in Damascus on January 25. Hide Caption 148 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Fighters from Fateh al Sham unit of the Free Syrian Army fire on Syrian Army soldiers at a check point in Damascus on January 20. Hide Caption 149 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter walks between buildings damaged during Syrian Air Force strikes in Damascus on January 19. Hide Caption 150 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel fighter tries to locate a government jet fighter in Aleppo on January 18. Hide Caption 151 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels launch a missile near the Abu Baker brigade in Albab on January 16. Hide Caption 152 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian boy walks near rubbish next to tents at a refugee camp near the northern city of Azaz on the Syria-Turkey border, on January 8. Hide Caption 153 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians look for survivors amid the rubble of a building targeted by a missile in Aleppo on January 7. Hide Caption 154 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A father reacts after hearing of a shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on January 3. Hide Caption 155 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A patient smokes a cigarette at Dar Al-Ajaza psychiatric hospital in Aleppo on December 18, 2012. The psychiatric ward, housing around 60 patients, has lacked the means to function properly since fighting broke out there in July. Hide Caption 156 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians mourn a fallen rebel fighter at a rebel base in the al-Fardos area of Aleppo on December 8, 2012. Hide Caption 157 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Members of Liwa (Brigade) Salahadin, a Kurdish military unit fighting alongside rebel fighters, monitor the area in the besieged district of Karmel al-Jabl in Aleppo on December 6, 2012. Hide Caption 158 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A member of Liwa Salahadin aims at a regime fighter in the besieged district of Karmel al-Jabl in Aleppo on December 6, 2012. Hide Caption 159 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Two young boys sit underneath a washline in a refugee camp on the border between Syria and Turkey near Azaz on December 5, 2012. Hide Caption 160 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Hide Caption 161 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – The bodies of three children, who were allegedly killed in a mortar shell attack that landed close to a bakery in Aleppo, on December 2, 2012, are laid out for identification by family members at a makeshift hospital at an undisclosed location of the city. Hide Caption 162 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises in the Hanano and Bustan al-Basha districts in Aleppo on December 1, 2012 as fighting continues through the night. Hide Caption 163 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Damaged houses in Aleppo are seen after an airstrike on November 29, 2012. Hide Caption 164 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel mourns the death of a comrade in Maraat al-Numan on November 20, 2012. Hide Caption 165 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians protesters stand on Assad's portrait during an anti-regime demonstration in Aleppo on November 16, 2012. Hide Caption 166 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel takes cover during fighting against Syrian government forces in Aleppo on November 15, 2012. Hide Caption 167 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian opposition fighter Bazel Araj, 19, sleeps next to his pistol in Aleppo on November 11, 2012. Hide Caption 168 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter fires at a Syrian government position in Aleppo on November 6, 2012. Hide Caption 169 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel leaps over debris left in the street while running across a "sniper alley" near the Salahudeen district in Aleppo on November 4, 2012. Hide Caption 170 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels hold their position in the midst of a battle on November 3, 2012 in Aleppo. Hide Caption 171 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man cries while being treated in a local hospital in a rebel-controlled area of Aleppo on October 31, 2012. Hide Caption 172 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man is treated for wounds after a government jet attacked the Karm al-Aser neighborhood in eastern Aleppo on October 31, 2012. Hide Caption 173 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel interrogates a handcuffed and blindfolded man suspected of being a pro-regime militiaman in Aleppo on October 26, 2012. Hide Caption 174 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises from a fuel station following a mortar attack as Syrian women walk on a rainy day in the Arqub neighborhood of Aleppo on October 25, 2012. Hide Caption 175 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel fires at an army position in the Karm al-Jabal district of Aleppo on October 22, 2012. Hide Caption 176 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A wounded Syrian boy sits on the back of a truck carrying victims and wounded people to a hospital following an attack by regime forces in Aleppo on October 21, 2012. Hide Caption 177 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man lies on the ground after being shot by a sniper for a second time as he waits to be rescued by members of the Al-Baraa Bin Malek Battalion, part of the Free Syria Army's Al-Fatah brigade, in Aleppo on October 20, 2012. Hide Caption 178 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian army soldiers run for cover during clashes with rebel fighters at Karam al-Jabal neighborhood of Aleppo on October 20, 2012. Hide Caption 179 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises after a Syrian Air Force fighter jet fired missiles at the suburbs of the northern province of Idlib on October 16, 2012. Hide Caption 180 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter stands near a post in Aleppo on October 11, 2012. Hide Caption 181 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man mourns the death of his father, who was killed during a government attack in Aleppo on October 10, 2012. Hide Caption 182 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter is carried by his friends and laid on a gurney to be treated for gunshot wounds sustained during heavy battles with government forces in Aleppo on October 1, 2012. Hide Caption 183 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels help a wounded comrade to an Aleppo hospital after he was injured in a Syrian army strike on September 18, 2012. Hide Caption 184 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syria Army fighters are reflected in a mirror they use to see a Syrian Army post only 50 meters away in Aleppo on September 16, 2012. Hide Caption 185 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man carrying grocery bags tries to dodge sniper fire as he runs through an alley near a checkpoint manned by the Free Syria Army in Aleppo on September 14, 2012. Hide Caption 186 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A woman walks past a destroyed building in Aleppo on September 13, 2012. Hide Caption 187 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters battle during street fighting against Syrian army soldiers in Aleppo on September 8, 2012. Hide Caption 188 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man wounded by shelling sits on a chair outside a closed shop in Aleppo on September 4, 2012. Hide Caption 189 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A woman sits in her wheelchair next to her house, damaged by a Syrian air raid, near Homs on August 26, 2012. Hide Caption 190 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army clash with Syrian army soliders in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on August 22, 2012. Hide Caption 191 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Hide Caption 192 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man mourns in front of a field hospital on August 21, 2012 in Aleppo. Hide Caption 193 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Hide Caption 194 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Wounded civilians wait in a field hospital after an air strike on August 21, 2012 in Aleppo. Hide Caption 195 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – People pray during the funeral of a Free Syrian Army fighter, Amar Ali Amero, on August 21, 2012. Hide Caption 196 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man cries near the graves of his two children killed during a recent Syrian airstrike in Azaz on August 20, 2012. Hide Caption 197 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Hide Caption 198 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian woman holds her dead baby as she screams upon seeing her husband's body being covered following an airstrike by regime forces on the town of Azaz on August 15, 2012. Hide Caption 199 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel runs in a street of Selehattin during an attack on the municipal building on July 23, 2012. Hide Caption 200 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels hunt for snipers after attacking the municipality building in the city center of Selehattin on July 23, 2012. Hide Caption 201 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army's Mugaweer (commandos) Brigade pay their respects in a cemetery on May 12, 2012 in Qusayr. Hide Caption 202 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels take position near Qusayr on May 10, 2012. Hide Caption 203 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army member takes cover in underground caves in Sarmin on April 9, 2012. Hide Caption 204 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels prepare to engage government tanks that advanced into Saraquib on April 9, 2012. Hide Caption 205 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Men say prayers during a ceremony in Binnish on April 9, 2012. Hide Caption 206 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A young boy plays with a toy gun in Binnish on April 9, 2012. Hide Caption 207 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army rebel mounts his horse in the Al-Shatouria village near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria on March 16, 2012, a year after the uprising began. Hide Caption 208 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian refugees walk across a field before crossing into Turkey on March 14, 2012. Hide Caption 209 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel takes position in Al-Qsair on January 27, 2012. Hide Caption 210 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A protester in Homs throws a tear gas bomb back towards security forces, on December 27, 2011. Hide Caption 211 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A man stands under a giant Syrian flag outside the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on December 24, 2011. Hide Caption 212 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A member of the Free Syrian Army looks out over a valley in the village of Ain al-Baida on December 15, 2011. Hide Caption 213 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army stand in an valley near the village of Ain al-Baida, close to the Turkish border, on December 15, 2011. Hide Caption 214 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Displaced Syrian refugees walk through an orchard adjacent to Syria's northern border with Turkey on June 14, 2011, near Khirbet al-Jouz. Hide Caption 215 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man holds up a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad during a rally to show support for the president in Damascus on April 30, 2011. Hide Caption 216 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians rally to show their support for President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on April 30, 2011. Hide Caption 217 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A screen grab from YouTube shows thick smoke rising above as Syrian anti-government protesters demonstrate in Moaret Al-Noman on April 29, 2011. Hide Caption 218 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A screen grab from YouTube shows Syrian anti-government protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by security forces in Damascus on April 29, 2011, during the "Day of Rage" demonstrations called by activists to put pressure on al-Assad. Hide Caption 219 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A woman sits by the hospital bed of a man allegedly injured when an armed group seized rooftops in Latakia on March 27, 2011, and opened fire at passers-by, citizens and security forces personnel according to official sources. Hide Caption 220 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians wave their national flag and hold portraits of al-Assad during a rally to show their support for their leader in Damascus on March 29, 2011. Hide Caption 221 of 222 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian protesters chant slogans in support of al-Assad during a rally in Damascus on March 25, 2011. Hide Caption 222 of 222

For the United States, the decision is part of a broader effort to support a moderate political opposition in Syria -- one that can be part of an eventual transition to a post-Assad Syria.

Without such a presence -- one that can begin to function as a government in waiting -- U.S. policy-makers fear a prolonged war of attrition that will play into the hands of more radical factions while Syria's humanitarian crisis turns into catastrophe.

Additionally there is concern among U.S. officials that groups like al-Nusra will make common cause with Sunni militants in Iraq, who would like nothing better than a sympathetic rear base across the Euphrates River.

U.S. officials are making the argument that the overall affect of the designation of al-Nusra will be to minimize the group's role in the Syrian opposition while not reducing the fighting capabilities of the rebel groups.

"Al-Nusra Front is one of many groups that are fighting the Syrian regime now, it is not the only one," a senior administration official told reporters Tuesday in explaining the designation. "In fact it is a minority. Its influence has grown in recent months, but it still represents the minority element within the broader armed opposition."

By the estimates of rebel commanders in Syria, al-Nusra (also known as Jabhat al-Nusra) makes up less than 10% of the brigades fighting the regime. Most of its fighters are Syrian. Some waged jihad in Iraq before returning home, though several also spent time in the Bucca prison camp in Iraq, where hundreds of insurgents were held.

There is also more than a smattering of foreign fighters in al-Nusra's ranks -- Jordanian, Iraqi, Libyan, a few from Central Asia.

U.S. officials also point out that the State Department has designated Syrian groups known as the Shabiha -- paramilitary militias controlled by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that have attacked and killed opponents of the al-Assad regime.

"Whether the American steps today will immediately curtail al-Nusra's capabilities, I don't think they know," the senior administration official said. "But I think that other nations that are involved in helping the armed opposition will now take more seriously our concerns about the Nusra front."

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday: "We've had concerns that al-Nusra is little more than a front for al Qaeda in Iraq who has moved some of its operations into Syria. ... We do see al Qaeda in Iraq trying to make these inroads."

Some tribal leaders in Iraqi provinces like Anbar are already thought to be funneling money and weapons to Islamist factions across the long border, and al-Nusra has been strong in areas near the Iraqi border.

The West appears ready to accept that Islamists loyal to organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood will be part of the post-Assad scenery. They are well represented in the new Military Council established this week, from which al-Nusra was excluded. Al-Nusra had already boycotted the new political opposition, making common cause with other militant factions.

Some analysts believe that al-Nusra is too important on the battlefield, especially in attacking military bases in the Northwest, for other rebel commanders to ostracize it.

In the year since al-Nusra emerged, it has carried out a number of complex and coordinated suicide bombings against high-profile regime targets and built a coherent fighting force through a thorough vetting process. By the admission of Free Syrian Army commanders on the ground, al-Nusra was instrumental in the seizure of the Sheikh Suleiman Military Academy near Aleppo this week. A reporter for Agence France-Presse in the area said many of the fighters "were from other Arab countries and Central Asia."

At another military base, rebel commander Ali Jadlan told CNN that fighters with al-Nusra were among the three brigades laying siege to the military academy. He said they were responsible for the most dangerous area.

The group has continued its offensive against the regime with a devastating series of suicide bombings -- most recently claiming responsibility for blowing up a government checkpoint in al Qusayr, and posting before and after photographs on jihadist online forums.

The analysts say that only if U.S. designation of al-Nusra were followed by serious weapons supplies to the "good" rebels might those rebels change their stance toward the group.

While President Barack Obama has not ruled out the option of supplying weapons, officials say there first must be more clarity on the ground.

"For us, providing arms has to be done in a way that helps promote a political solution," the senior administration official said. "Until we understand how these arms promote a political solution, we do not see how provision of arms is a good idea."

Not much is known about al-Nusra's structure or leadership, but its emir, who goes by the nom de guerre of of Abu Muhammad al-Golani, said in an audio message at the beginning of the year that its goal was to make Syria an Islamic state. The group's propaganda frequently tells Syrians that they have been "abandoned" by the West.

The lesson of history is that revolutions tend to be won by the best organized and most ruthless, rather than the best intentioned and most reasonable. For Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks, organization was as important as ideology. The Taliban swept across Afghanistan as the only coherent force in a country craving order and stability. Egypt's revolution ended up favoring the Muslim Brotherhood as the only political organization tried and tested by decades of repression. Similarly, al-Nusra stands out among Syrian rebel groups as the most effective and disciplined.

Al-Nusra has also learned from history, according to other Islamists among Syrian rebel ranks. Many of its more experienced fighters saw al Qaeda in Iraq alienate the Sunni tribes there with its vicious sectarian bloodletting. As Aaron Zelin of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy wrote in Foreign Policy last week, "Jabhat al-Nusra seems to have learned from the mistakes of al Qaeda in Iraq: It has not attacked civilians randomly, nor has it shown wanton disregard for human life by publicizing videos showing the beheading of its enemies."

Instead, Islamist leaders in Aleppo say, it is looking to broaden its appeal and spread its fundamentalist message.

Ordinary people in Aleppo complain that some FSA units mishandle or misappropriate bread distribution, and they have begun to look to Islamist groups for greater honesty in managing local affairs. One chant recently heard in Aleppo, revealingly, was this: "We don't want a thieving free army, we want an Islamic army."

The United States would rather see that role in the hands of the Local Coordination Committees, present in many Syrian cities since early in the uprising.

Such is the undercurrent of resentment toward the United States among Syrians pummeled by nearly two years of regime attacks that designating al-Nusra may have the unintended consequence of making it more popular. Designation may also make it more attractive to foreign jihadists. According to the SITE Intelligence Group, another jihadist group, the al-Sahaba Army, has already congratulated al-Nusra for its designation, describing it as a "great honor" and calling on other groups to rally to al-Nusra.

For now, the group has no formal affiliation with al Qaeda, and according to other Islamist fighters it is probably wary of being pigeonholed as part of the group, for fear of causing a backlash among a population that historically is among the less conservative in the Arab world.

One leading Islamist in Aleppo described al-Nusra as similar to jihadist groups in Iraq before they morphed into al Qaeda. So far, he said, al-Nusra has yet to receive al Qaeda's seal of approval.

The U.S. State Department thinks otherwise.