Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama has signed a covert directive authorizing U.S. support for Syrian rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces, U.S. officials told CNN on Wednesday.

The secret order, referred to as an intelligence "finding," allows for clandestine support by the CIA and other agencies.

It was unclear when the president signed the authorization for Syria, but the sources said it was within the past several months.

The Obama administration has said it will step up its assistance to the opposition in the wake of last month's failure by the U.N. Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions against al-Assad's regime.

Exactly what type of support the finding authorizes is also unclear. The Obama administration has ruled out arming the rebels for now, providing only nonlethal assistance, such as communications equipment.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department approved a license allowing the Washington Syrian Support Group to provide direct financial assistance to the Free Syrian Army. The Washington-based representative of the Free Syrian Army is allowed to conduct financial transactions on the rebel group's behalf but is not allowed to send military equipment.

During the war in Libya, Obama signed a similar directive authorizing covert assistance for rebels in the battle against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The Obama administration has resisted arming the opposition, in part, because U.S. officials don't know enough about the rebels.

U.S. officials have told CNN that Washington is cooperating with countries that are arming the rebels, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to help find groups worthy of aid. Diplomatic sources have also said the United States is providing intelligence on Syrian troop movements, which is then passed to rebel groups.

snip

Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/01/us/syria-rebels-us-aid/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Oh goody, Halliburton gets to make more money for Darth Vader.