He is on the way out anyway following fallings out with Trump.
Lodestar …… a guiding star? Why Mattis? Look at the syrialiveuamap today and it may become clear. Maybe Trump needed to be distracted by this who done it game so that he wouldn't respond erratically to the advance of Russia, Iran and Assad's forces into Idlib.
Again this is pure speculation but Mattis (along with his former colleague Tillerson) have had somehow, some way put lids on Trump previously to prevent further military escalations. Our friendly Russian trolls and other pro-Putin posters don't quite get that but Putin himself certainly would.
I've said previously that the US and the EU will largely sit on their hands during the Idlib (al Qaeda ministate) operation and that is happening.
