January 5, 2004
All Nuclear Roads Lead to Pakistan
As investigators unravel Libya's nuclear program, a chain of middlemen and suppliers points to Pakistan as the intellectual hub of hidden nuclear proliferators. Pakistan's own nuclear program, designed to keep India's nuclear program at bay, may potentially fall into the hands of international terrorists. The major obstacle is Pakistan President Musharraf, who has been the target of two recent assassination attempts.
Pakistan's horoscope (August 15, 1947; 12:00 am; Karachi) reflects a growing subversion of the national government. Pakistan's Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Leo represents its political institutions, which are shaped and challenged by the square to a fundamentalist Jupiter in Scorpio. Throughout 2004 transiting Neptune, the planet of secrecy and deception, will be opposing Pakistan's Saturn-Pluto, indicating a conspiratorial political environment.
Neptune makes its first opposition in February, and at the same time transiting Mars is going through the twelfth house of hidden activity. Meanwhile, the populace is getting ever more fundamentalist (progressed Jupiter trine Moon). February will likely bring an expanded militant plot against Musharraf as well as political attacks against his alliance with the western powers.
Pervez Musharraf was born an imperial Leo (August 11, 1943; Delhi, India; time unknown), with his Sun square Mars to channel his energies into a military career. The two December attacks on his life coincided with transiting Pluto first opposing his Ceres and then squaring his Venus. Only the protective presence of Jupiter near his Venus saved him, but on several occasions in 2004 Jupiter won't be around when Pluto is next targeting the Pakistani Presidency.
Top Astrological Events of 2004
1. Transit Pluto opposite U.S. Mars (exact Jan 24 and May 27). This powerful alignment has an intense polarizing effect on American politics throughout the first half of 2004, both domestically and vis-a-vis international alliances. A pervasive "Us vs. Them" mentality dominates, centered on the War Against Terrorism where military strategies trump all other issues.
2. Solar Eclipse on April 19. The date of this eclipse happens to coincide with the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City, and this one looks potentially very explosive, especially on the East Coast where Mars and Pluto oppose each other, with Pluto conjunct the Descendant in Washington DC.
3. Neptune turns retrograde on May 17 very near the foundation of the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope. This influence marks the rise of nationalism and the feeling that America has a powerful destiny to play on the world stage. The last time this transit occurred was in the 1840s as Americans headed West under the banner of Manifest Destiny.
4. Bush's progressed Sun conjunct Mars (exact June 6, 2004). Under this straightforward, powerfully assertive influence, the president becomes identified with his role as Commander-in-Chief. This progression has been building up over the last two years, and is largely responsible for the bold, go-it-alone approach to foreign policy.
5. Transit Saturn conjunct U.S. Sun and square U.S. Saturn (June 10 and 22 respectively) emphasizes the U.S. role in international politics since the U.S. Sun is in the ninth house of foreign relations. Historically, during this phase the president tends to be heavily involved in forging broad-scaled alliances and global forums to work out the world's problems.
Donald Trump and the Apprentice
In the latest reality television show, sixteen contestants vie to land the ultimate job as a top executive in Donald Trump's business empire. Trump calls the streets of New York City the world's most ferocious jungle, and each week he will dump one of the ambitious entrepreneurial players until only one survivor remains to capture the $250,000 job as the tycoon's apprentice.
Donald Trump was born with his Sun in Gemini conjunct Uranus (June 14, 1946; 9:51 am, NYC), a pairing that fosters creativity, independence, and an openness to new ideas. The Sun-Uranus combination is frequently found in billionaires' charts. Trump explains the underlying dynamic, "You usually become very rich when you work for yourself, not when you're working for somebody else."
Trump has an unusual flair for the dramatic, a personality trait only partially explained by his Leo Ascendant. His Sun-Uranus conjunction in dualistic, smooth-talking Gemini forms a very optimistic, flamboyant trine to Jupiter, giving him a natural ability to negotiate any business deal. Then these planets are all harmoniously connected to his Leo Ascendant, giving him perhaps one of the luckiest planetary configurations possible.
Mars and Pluto in Leo near his Ascendant only add to his supreme self-confidence and self-promotional abilities. The contestant who wants what Trump has will also need a dynamic Moon-Uranus connection so he or she won't be bogged down by personal relationship considerations. With his Moon in Sagittarius opposed to Uranus, Trump has a difficult time opening up emotionally or making a serious commitment to any one partner.
