Well in the 1980, Contra rebels of Nicaragua were involved in the exact same type of warfare with the Sandanista government of Nicaragua. Against the laws of US's own laws the US adminsitration then secretly supplied Contra rebels with movey and weapons untill it was stopped by the US Congress after the scandal broke out which is known as "Iran-Contra Scandal". Then US president Ronald Regan hailed Contra rebels as "freedom fighters." In fact Osama Bin Laden, today's no. 1 terrorist as described by the US administration was supplied with weapons through Pakistan to fight the Soviet occupation in Afganistan the 1980s. How the hell Osama Bin Laden who was a friend of the US in the 1980s turned into #1 terrorist in late 90s. There is no standard defination for "terrorists". It really depends who they are fighting for and who are fighting against. It really depends on through whose eyes you are looking from.