October 15, 2001
Mercury Directs War on Terrorism
On October 22 Mercury turns direct. Ordinarily, astrologers would hail this celestial event as a return to clear communications and an end to traffic delays and snafus. However, this Mercury station happens to take place on a critical degree (14 degrees Libra), one that is inextricably linked to the War on Terrorism.
Mercury’s pre-eminent value in the War on Terrorism can be seen in the event chart for the first terrorist hit on the World Trade Center (8:46 am; September 11). Mercury dominates by being conjunct the Ascendant here, and is the same degree as where Mercury turns direct on October 22. The symbolic power of this event on the collective psyche establishes this horoscope as the beginning of the War on Terrorism.
The U.S. horoscope features Saturn at 14 Libra, the same critical degree. In political astrology Saturn represents the institutional structures that preserve a nation’s traditions and power base. The attack targeted U.S. economic institutions, as well as its corporate and governmental relationships with the rest of the world. On October 8 President Bush initiated the counter-attack on Afghanistan within hours of when the transiting Sun was conjunct the U.S. Saturn, and Mercury in the War on Terrorism chart.
When Mercury turns direct on October 22 we can expect a major turning point in the War on Terrorism. Perhaps Osama Bin Laden will be killed or captured. Perhaps the terrorists will find a way to attack again. Or perhaps the military campaign will expand to other countries. Whatever is manifested, we can be sure that it will mark another high-voltage event in the War on Terrorism.
The October Surprise
Last week the FBI issued a general alert for a possible terrorist attack. Within the days bracketed for trouble, anthrax scares hit several news media offices, including the Florida headquarters for the National Enquirer, NBC’s office in New York City, and with suspicious envelopes arriving in Nevada and California as well.
Astrologically, the red-flagged days were equivalent to when the transiting Sun and Mars were squaring each other. The Sun-Mars duo is a highly aggressive vibration that naturally suits the motives of attack-oriented factions. What makes this particular case of Sun-square-Mars especially potent during the War on Terrorism is that it aligns with a major planetary axis within the U.S. horoscope, the Mercury-Pluto opposition.
In the Scorpio Rising chart Mercury and Pluto are found in the 3rd and 9th houses of the media, and include news gathering and publishing. These are the areas where the anthrax letters were sent, probably to ensure their prompt publicity. The downside of Mercury-Pluto is that it can quickly turn obsessively paranoid and lead to panic.
Every year the Sun passes through the U.S. 12th house during October and forms a square to this Mercury-Pluto axis. Investors know this time as being extremely vulnerable to financial panics, and usually some event concurrent with this annual passage becomes known as the October Surprise. This coming week the Sun is accompanied by Mars as the two align with the U.S. Mercury-Pluto axis, so the October Surprise is likely to be less financial, and more militant than a few anthrax-laden letters.
Tony Blair, Global Citizen
Tony Blair’s popularity has soared over the last month to 88 percent, the highest approval rating for a British leader since Winston Churchill during World War II. Blair’s soothing lucidity and vision for the future has made him Bush’s best ally in the campaign against terrorism, as the Prime Minister delivered the evidence against Osama Bin Laden, and criss-crossed the globe to build international support for the alliance.
Tony Blair was born a determined Taurus (May 6, 1953; 6:10 am; Edinburgh, UK), and like George W. Bush, has his Sun in the 12th house. For a politician, a 12th house Sun is not necessarily a disadvantage. The 12th house is where the individual connects to the collective unconscious, and a politician with his Sun here has the unique opportunity of identifying with the collective’s unrecognized desires and fears.
Blair’s Sun forms a square with Pluto, a difficult combination that finds intense struggles with enemies as a way of building personal ego strength. Blair’s enemies are no longer his domestic political foes, but have transformed into international terrorists. With Mars and Jupiter found clustered around his Gemini Ascendant, Blair is a natural promoter (Mars) for a cause (Jupiter).
Blair’s political skills are enhanced by Uranus in the 3rd house of communications which forms a harmonious sextile to his Sun. Uranus here channels the intuitive grasp of the collective’s concerns over terrorism. Jupiter comes to a full stop right on this key planet, ensuring that he will remain a celebrated politician over the next month.
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