How does Ambassador Robert Ford know that fighters of the Free Syrian Army are good people? They told him that they are good, damn it, and they did not say that for money or for arms

"Over the past two years, I met fighters from the Free Syrian Army many times. These men were not angels: Many were former regime officers; all had military experience. In a memorable meeting last November, we exchanged barbs for hours, but they made clear that they did not accept Al Qaeda’s philosophy. They acknowledged that they would ultimately have to fight Al Qaeda and the foreign jihadis."  Well, it is clear then.  Let the arms shipments begin.