Putin ally said to be in touch with Kremlin, Assad before his mercenaries attacked U.S. troops https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/putin-ally-said-to-be-in-touch-with-kremlin-assad-before-his-mercenaries-attacked-us-troops/2018/02/22/f4ef050c-1781-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html?utm_term=.076d1e508f51 The attack in Syria is a real head-scratcher.