September 17, 2001
The Global Alliance Against Terrorism
In what he called the first war of the 21st century, President Bush vowed to
crush global terrorism, and received immediate support from around the world,
including Russia and China. Secretary of State Colin Powell provided the
plan: to build a global alliance to pursue not only individual terrorists and
their organizations, but also the states that provide them safe haven.
From an astrological perspective, President Bush is responding to the same
celestial forces that pushed him toward building the National Missile Defense
shield. The primary indicator is his progressed Mars (see NewsScope May 7,
2001) which is growing in strength over the next six months. With Aries at
his Midheaven, and an activated Mars, Bush's dominant astrological theme
during his entire Presidency is war, the military, and defeating
international enemies.
Last Tuesday's horrific attack provided the catalyst for transforming Bush's
controversial militant inclinations into a coherent, popular strategy for
containing terrorism. Transiting Jupiter conjunct Bush's Sun presents the
opportunity for true leadership. The national shift is most clearly seen by
tracking transiting Neptune's position in relation to the U.S. horoscope.*
This Neptune transit brings a dynamic change of direction (by squaring to the
U.S. Scorpio Ascendant) in the process of building a fateful international
alliance (conjunct the U.S. South Node in Aquarius). An historical parallel
shows the powerful impact of an outer planet transit to these lunar nodes: on
D-Day June 6, 1944 the U.S. launched the largest armada in history against
the Allies' common enemy. Transiting Pluto at the time was conjunct the U.S.
North Node in Leo, and squaring the Scorpio Ascendant.
Pakistan, the Pivot Point
American officials were encouraged last week by signals coming from Pakistan
that U.S. warplanes will be able to use Pakistan's airspace when President
Bush orders military action against Afghanistan. However, Pakistan's
intelligence community sponsored the Taliban's coup in Afghanistan, and it's
unclear if Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has any control over his
country's secret agents.
Pakistan was created at the same time as India when the British officially
withdrew on August 15, 1947 (midnight, Karachi, Pakistan). In this horoscope
Mercury, the natural ruler of intelligence agencies, is strongly placed on
the fourth house cusp where it dominates the domestic situation. Mercury is
currently being opposed by transiting Neptune, creating a cloud of
uncertainty over Pakistan's covert operations.
Also in Pakistan's horoscope the Sun, representing the national leadership,
is opposed by transiting Uranus. This destabilizing influence does not bode
well for the President's hold onto power. Musharraf seized control of the
government on October 12, 1999 in a bloodless coup d'etat, and over the next
two months is in danger of the same destiny, or at the very least, of giving
up personal authority to the U.S. command.
General Pervez Musharraf was born a natural leader of the armed forces
(August 11, 1943; Delhi, India; time unknown) with his autocratic Leo Sun
squaring militant Mars. This Sun-Mars square happens to fall into the same
zodiacal region as Pakistan's Sun, putting his personal fate in the hands of
revolutionary Uranus over the next few months.
Osama Bin Laden, The Prime Suspect
Since President Clinton launched a surprise missile attack on a suspected
Sudanese chemical weapons plant on August 20, 1998, Osama Bin Laden has been
hailed as a hero by many Islamic fundamentalists. Who is this man that can
threaten the world's only superpower, and is reputed to have masterminded
terrorist plots against the U.S.S. Cole, two U.S. Embassies in East Africa,
and the World Trade Center?
Osama Bin Laden was born a faith-oriented Pisces (March 10, 1957; Jiddah,
Saudi Arabia; time unknown**) with his Sun squaring self-righteous Saturn in
Sagittarius. This combination produces an ambitious drive to be respected as
a religious leader, and an inner compulsion to assert one's moral authority
on the surrounding community. His rigid adherence to Islamic extremism and
willingness to live under austere environmental conditions can be seen in his
Mercury-Venus conjunction in self-sacrificing Pisces, also squaring
restrictive Saturn.
Bin Laden's Mars in determined, financially-savvy Taurus tells much of his
story, beginning with his ability to amass the material resources to create
Al Qaeda, his terrorist network. Mars trines Jupiter and squares Pluto, a
ruthless and daring combination that fights to dominate no matter what the
cost. This Mars describes why Bin Laden has singled out the American people
as his main target since it forms an exact square to the U.S. Moon.
Astrologers know that a Pisces can quickly become a martyr. The Saudi
terrorist is now making his greatest impact on the world (as his progressed
Sun squares Uranus, and the Saturn-Pluto opposition aligns with his own
Saturn). When he is captured, others with the same sentiments will step
forward, but who now have a messiah for inspiration.
* Advanced astrologers will note that the progressed U.S. Midheaven is about
to enter Aries, providing a dramatic new national direction coincident with
Bush's current martial drive. This is true if and only if 8 degrees Scorpio
is Rising.
** According to Interpol
(www.interpol.int/public/Wanted/Notices/Data/1998/32/1998_20232.asp).
This birth date should be considered speculative since another reputable
source has issued a birth date of July 30, 1957:
www.fpc.gov/CRS_reps/crsterr3.htm
A good case can be made for the 7/30/57 birth date, but 3/10/57 seems to fit
best. What do you think? Email: [email protected].
