A Wikileaks document of a telegram sent from Damascus appears to show the US had big plans when it came to Syria — long before the conflict began in 2011.

A Wikileaks document of a telegram sent from Damascus appears to show the US had big plans when it came to Syria — long before the conflict began in 2011.

In the 2006 document classified as "secret," the US wrote plans to destabilize the Syrian government, starting by expressing discontent towards Syria's stability and calling for exploiting its points of weakness before getting much stronger.

Moreover, the document reveals a conspiracy made by the US regarding its involvement with the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri organization — creating the militant group to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad and destabilize the region.

"Possible actions" to destabilize the Syrian government addressed lots of issues that continue to play on Middle Eastern politics today, often seeming to have a disregard for the consequences for Syrians. Strategies included using the media to cause "Bashar personal angst and may lead him to act irrationally."

Another listed strategy was playing on "Sunni fears of Iranian influence," a description that seems to fit the militants who formed ISIL.

Take a look at the full document here.