http://www.defenseone.com/politics/2015/07/us-effort-train-syrian-fighters-isnt-going-so-well/117100/?oref=defenseone_today_nl

The Pentagon Wants To Train 15,000 Syrian Fighters. So Far It’s Got 60.

July 7, 2015 By Molly O'Toole

Tense words between Sen. John McCain and Defense Secretary Ash Carter reveal that the U.S. has not decided how to defend the fighters if they are attacked by the Assad regime.

The U.S. has begun training only 60 fighters to take on the Islamic State in Syria, Defense Secretary Ash Carter acknowledged in a heated hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday morning. And not only is the number “much smaller than we hoped for at this point” — three months into the program — but the U.S. has not yet determined what it will do when those fighters are attacked by the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Carter said.