March 31, 2003

The War in Iraq

Many astrologers are using the "Target of Opportunity" missile attack (March 20; 5:33 am; Baghdad) on Saddam and his generals as the horoscope for the War in Iraq. While this moment is certainly a stark point in the rolling start, as an event chart it highlights the relevancy of Iraq's national horoscope.

Iraq has several valid horoscopes, but the one that comes to life in the current geopolitical climate is its original foundation chart set for August 23, 1921; 6:00 am; Baghdad. Comparing the event chart to Iraq's national horoscope shows transiting Mars exactly opposite natal Pluto, effectively symbolizing the Target of Opportunity which the event chart describes. Transiting Neptune opposes natal Mars, reflecting the bogging down of the military conflict.

Iraq's progressed Sun is now exactly trine Venus, a very beneficial connection showing how world opinion favors Iraq's position here, especially in the Arab regions, but also in Europe and in the growing anti-war movement in the U.S. Global public opinion polls show that most people think Bush is more of a threat to global peace than Saddam. The Bush administration has a massive public relations problem.

Still, transiting Uranus passing back and forth opposite the Iraq Sun in 2003 shows that Saddam remains in crisis mode, and may be deposed at any moment. Also, transiting Uranus opposes Iraq's Ceres on April 6, indicating a time frame when civilian casualties could suddenly escalate. The Target of Opportunity event chart shows that Iraq's natal horoscope* is the most effective tool to track developments in Iraq.

The Hidden Saddam Hussein

Since the start of the Iraqi invasion, American and British generals have focused on Saddam Hussein as their prime target. Intelligence reports that he survived the initial missile attack, but was injured and taken away in an ambulance. The generals currently have no idea where he is.

Saddam Hussein was born with a Sun-Uranus conjunction in Taurus (April 28, 1937; 8:06 am; Tikrit, Iraq**), a planetary combination that excels at being unpredictable and willfully independent of legal norms. With reference to the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope, Saddam's Sun-Uranus sits right on the U.S. 7th house of open enemies, making him the perfect screen on which to project American fears, and explaining why Americans, even more than any of Iraq's neighbors, fear this man.

Saddam's Ascendant is the sign of the twins. Gemini Rising individuals are noted for their mobility, and since Saddam has so many secret enemies, he never sleeps in the same place twice. His defense is to be constantly on the move, and to trick his adversaries with multiple doubles, decoy convoys, and deep underground bunkers in both Tikrit and Baghdad. Saddam's many hats, and rotating military and civilian costumes are also typical of the Gemini Rising individual.

With Gemini Rising, Mercury is the ruler of his horoscope, and is found in the 12th house of secrets. Mercury is well-placed here, giving him an uncanny sense of who his enemies are, and how to avoid their plots. Mercury is in the money-savvy sign of Taurus, and benefits financially by a trine to plentiful Jupiter, found in the 8th house of corporate wealth. A PBS Frontline report indicates that Saddam has personally acquired about $20 billion of Iraq's oil revenues and has it hidden in secret Swiss bank accounts.

Noam Chomsky, Intellectual Dissident

Over the next two years as transiting Pluto opposes the U.S. Mars, the astrologer can expect a growing anti-war movement around the global village. The legitimacy of the anti-war movement rests on its intellectual perspectives, and among the leaders offering an erudite counterpoint to the official government line is MIT linguist Noam Chomsky.**

Noam Chomsky was born a philosophical Sagittarius (December 7, 1928; Philadelphia, PA; time unknown), with his Sun given depth and sincerity by its conjunction with Saturn. The serious Sagittarian is fundamentally concerned about morality, questions of right and wrong. With the Sun-Saturn conjunction in Sagittarius, the individual seeks the deeper meaning behind words, and aspires to be a moral authority.

When Saturn is this prominent, the individual can become very critical. Chomsky's Saturn happens to be exactly opposite the U.S. Mars, and so the target of his intellect is most often the military agenda, and its vast network of corporate allies. Sagittarians look at the big picture, and Chomsky sees the Pentagon's ambitions in Iraq as extending its control over the world's major energy resources.

The last time Pluto formed a hard aspect to the U.S. Mars was during the Vietnam War. Pluto was also forming a square to Chomsky's Sun-Saturn, and he played a major role in formulating strategic resistance against the U.S. government's Vietnamese policy. Now, and over the coming two years as transiting Pluto forms a conjunction with Chomsky's Saturn, we can expect that his inner moral authority will once again become inflamed with persuasive passion.


* the time is rectified by the author and should be considered speculative.
** for a recent interview, see: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=51&ItemID=3206

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