April 14, 2003
Jupiter Emboldens U.S. Military
Within a few days after Jupiter turned direct last week, the entire global village watched the people of Baghdad topple Saddam's statue, protected by victorious U.S. forces. The Iraqi leadership was either dead or on the run, with the problem of widespread looting and chaos became the next order of business. Meanwhile, in Washington several top Bush advisors began warning other regimes to take a lesson from Iraq.
Jupiter, the planet symbolizing good fortune, opportunity, and success, was the most prominent planet last week due to its exact connection to both president Bush's and the U.S. horoscope. As forecast in NewsScope March 24, Jupiter's station (turning point) here promised military and political victory since it's conjunct Bush's Leo Ascendant, as well as exactly square the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant.
If Jupiter formed only a favorable aspect to his chart, only he would celebrate. But the entire nation, or at least 80 percent of the population savored the quick police action and overthrow of Saddam. Protest marches and rallies dwindled to mild, unreported flurries. The national mood was generally favorable due to transiting Jupiter's prominence in the national horoscope with an exact square to the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant.
The only downside to Jupiter here is the tendency to be over-confident or arrogant. Both Bush's chart and the U.S. chart indicate that another major military conflict looms within the next year. The fact that these indicators are in both charts* underscores the likelihood that another "rogue regime" is on the Pentagon's target list. Watch for comments about "harboring terrorists" or "weapons of mass destruction" for clues about which nation is next. The most likely candidates are North Korea, Iran, and Syria.
Syria's Bashar Assad, Between Iraq and a Hard Place
Some of the most intense fighting in Iraq is taking place on the road from Baghdad to Syria where Pentagon analysts think that weapons of mass destruction could be hidden, or where Iraqi leaders are making their escape. Bashar Assad, Syria's President and Commander-in-Chief, feels certain that he is the next target on Bush's list of rogue leaders.
Bashar el-Assad has been buffeted about by fateful forces beyond his control. Born on the star-crossed day of September 11, 1965 (Damascus, Syria; time unknown), Assad's Sun in Virgo is conjunct the 60s' epochal Uranus-Pluto conjunction and opposite the Saturn-Chiron conjunction in Pisces. Assad made a radical career change from ophthalmology to commander of the military when his elder brother Basil died in Februrary 1994 as Saturn first returned to its natal place.
On June 10, 2000 Bashar's father (Hafez al-Assad) and the founder of modern Syria died, and Bashar was quickly moved to the top spot. At the time transiting Pluto was forming a square to his natal Saturn, and just entering the larger complex involving his Sun and the outer planets.
Over the last two years transiting Saturn and Pluto have been forming powerful cross currents with this natal complex as he fought to bring modern technology to his country, and at the same time support Palestinians against Israel. Now transiting Pluto is in a long-term square to his Sun-Pluto-Uranus conjunction, and he fears for his life. Pluto here guarantees that he must radically transform something in his life in order to survive. Either he will conform to U.S. pressure, or he may indeed be targeted.
Jessica Lynch, Hero
"Jessica Lynch," called out an American commando in a daring midnight rescue operation. "We are United States soldiers and we're here to protect you and take you home." Lynch had been captured when her convoy was ambushed on March 23 in southern Iraq. Although nine of her comrades were killed, Lynch survived multiple injuries, and by last Saturday was returned to her West Virginia home for some well-deserved rest.
Jessica Lynch was born with both her Mars and Sun in solid Taurus (April 26, 1983; Palestine, WV; time unknown), which bestows plenty of staying power and endurance. Private first class Lynch is obviously a tough cookie, and astrologically her mettle can be seen in her Sun's opposition to Saturn and Pluto, a celestial combination that provides intense challenges to sharpen one's survival skills.
Another factor favoring her survival was luck. Spectacular windfalls, sudden fortune, and miraculous discoveries are shown by Jupiter-Uranus combinations. Hollywood's top celebrities often have Jupiter-Uranus aspects either natally, or in effect by transit when their ship comes in. Lynch's horoscope features a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Sagittarius, and at the time of her rescue transiting Jupiter was forming a trine to this planetary pair.
Lynch has a long rehabilitation phase ahead of her (as her progressed Sun nears Chiron). However, with her Venus in friendly, talkative Gemini, we are likely to hear much more of her dramatic tale. Her Mars in Taurus forms an exact square to the U.S. Midheaven, showing that her connection with the nation is a surprisingly proud role for a woman. She stated this role when she affirmed to her rescuers: "I'm an American soldier too."
* In Bush's chart his progressed Sun will be conjunct Mars on June 6, 2004, making him only more aggressive between now and then. In the U.S. horoscope, transiting Pluto opposes Mars, and the progressed Midheaven in militant Aries squares Venus, the ruler of the 7th house of open enemies.
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