The Obama administration isn’t just working to piece together an odd coalition of Republicans and Democrats to win authorization for strikes against Syria. It’s also dealing with escalating rhetoric with Russia. The Guardian reports Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a showdown with President Obama at the next G20 summit slated for Thursday in St. Petersburg. Reuters reports Putin called Secretary of State John Kerry a liar for telling Congress al-Qaeda was not involved with the Syrian rebels. In Washington, meanwhile, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel testified to a House committee that some of the chemical weapons Syria used against civilians were supplied by Russia.

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