August 25, 2003

Iraq, The Turning Point

Several days after the devastating bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Iraq, President Bush admitted that more troops were needed to maintain security. "We do need and welcome more foreign troops in Iraq" he said last Friday. However, neither Bush nor American military strategists were prepared to accept the demands of France, Russia, and Germany for increased U.N. authority as the condition for troop support.

From an astrological perspective, this coming week brings the culmination of several powerful astro-events. The most noticeable, even to non-astrologers, is the eerie, reddish glow of Mars in the evening sky. Mars and the Sun are exactly opposed to each other on August 28, allowing Mars to dominate the heavens throughout the night.

The several other planetary alignments building up this week point to a dramatic turning point, especially in Iraq and Israel. In Iraq foreign terrorists are converging for what they call the final battleground against the U.S. and its U.N. lackey. In Israel the roadmap to peace will likely be taking a major detour. Pluto turning direct in religious Sagittarius emphasizes that extremist elements are taking over this week.

The U.S. problems in controlling a guerrilla uprising in Iraq are very similar to the Vietnam quagmire that began in the mid-1960s. Transiting Pluto squared the U.S. Mars back then, and now Pluto is moving toward its next hard aspect, an opposition. It will take wise leadership to manage this mess. Now transiting Saturn is heading for the U.S. Sun and President Bush's Sun simultaneously, and he will be severely tested to navigate a prudent course for U.S. power.

Presidential Astrology Part 7; Hillary Clinton

As transiting Saturn meanders through his twelfth house and squares his Sun, Al Gore may be considering one more desperate run for the presidency. This passage of Saturn is not favorable for starting new ventures, and he'll probably feel more comfortable and fulfilled by staying behind the scenes. This leaves Hillary Clinton as the most promising of the undeclared candidates.

Hillary Clinton was probably born at 8:00 am (October 26, 1947; Chicago), which puts Mercury on her Scorpio Ascendant. For the last few months her Mercury by secondary progression has been in a very favorable trine to Saturn, found in the ninth house of publishing. This corresponds neatly to her highly visible book-promotion tour, and the celebrity-like welcome she gets wherever she goes.

The U.S. horoscope is uniquely primed for a woman candidate (progressed Venus in Aries squares the Sun, transiting Uranus trines Venus), and Ms. Clinton's horoscope is likewise poised to make a run. She has several connections to the U.S. Moon (progressed Ceres and Venus, natal Uranus) which creates a direct channel with the American people. Her own progressed Midheaven, defining her destiny and point of honor, is nearly conjunct her Sun, giving her the ambition and a unique window of opportunity.

Will she run? Transiting Uranus trine her Sun in January and February would make her a popular candidate during the primaries. The one downside is that she has her Moon in Pisces, a sign of compassion but also potential victimization. Americans have never elected a president with a Pisces Moon, but then Americans have never elected a woman either.

Maria Shriver, Arnold's Closest Adviser

Arnold Shwarzenegger has recently hired a handful of prominent conservatives to help him on the campaign trail, but his wife Maria Shriver will probably be his most important adviser. Ms. Shriver is the niece of John F. Kennedy, and the daughter of the first Peace Corps Director Sargent Shriver, and has long espoused the Kennedy liberal ideology.

Maria Shriver was born with her Sun and Saturn conjunct in Scorpio (November 6, 1955; 5:12 pm; Chicago), giving her an innate intensity and seriousness of purpose. She's highly organized, and has won several awards for her daytime job as an NBC news journalist. Saturn is given an additional urge for power by being square to Pluto.

Ms. Shriver's Saturn-Pluto link is an aspect she shares with her husband, who has a Saturn-Pluto conjunction. Conservatives who wonder why they should support Arnold if he's going to be influenced by Maria will take comfort in this Saturn-Pluto link, which indicates that having the political power is more important than the vocalized ideology.

Where their views do coincide is their mutual interest in children. Shriver has Ceres placed in authoritative Capricorn and closely trine her Ascendant. She closely identifies with being the wise parent, and has written a best-selling book explaining the death of a loved one to tots. Schwarzenegger's Sun squares Ceres, and he readily discusses children as the next generation. These resonant planets indicate that Maria and Arnold share an interest in his becoming California's next governor, and especially in promoting children's welfare.