October 29, 2001
Mars and Neptune: Good versus Evil
Last week investigators discovered that the Daschle letter was laced with
high-grade anthrax, reversing a previous determination that the anthrax was a
common, garden-variety type. Then federal post offices sorting mail for the
White House, the CIA, the Supreme Court and the State Department were all
found with anthrax spores.
As reported here two weeks ago, the Mercury station was conjunct the U.S.
Saturn, making this an unusually serious and consequential astrological
event. The week before October 22 government officials were assuring the
public that everything was under control, and there's only a minute chance
that anyone could get infected by anthrax. The tune changed on Monday (10/22)
when two more postal workers died, and by the end of the week 12,000 more
were receiving antibiotics.
Another major planetary factor now is Neptune*, which is the natural ruler of
bacteria and nearly invisible spores. Neptune also just reached a stationary
point as it turned direct while squaring the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant,
highlighting its current prominence in national affairs. Since Neptune is a
dominant vibration now, the entrance of Mars into Aquarius last Saturday
(October 27) takes on added significance.
Militant Mars is heading toward a conjunction with secretive Neptune (exact
on November 5), accelerating concern over bioterrorism. Neptune also refers
to spiritual awareness, and when combined with Mars, promotes the spiritual
warrior (on either side) who knows he is fighting a glorious battle of Good
versus Evil. This Mars-Neptune aspect resonates with the U.S. Mars square
Neptune, inspiring a pervasive national sentiment that God is on America's
side.
Saudi Arabia, Osama bin Laden's Roots
Last Thursday ABC's Diane Sawyer interviewed Osama bin Laden's sister-in-law,
the Swiss-born Carmen bin Laden. Carmen stated that Osama probably has the
backing of at least some of Saudi Arabia's royal family. Saudi Arabia has
nominally gone along with Bush's anti-terrorism efforts, but has declined to
provide information on the 10 Saudi hijackers who participated in the 9-11
attack.
Saudi Arabia's national horoscope is set for when the warrior king Ibn Saud
captured Riyadh on January 15, 1902 (sunrise, or 3:45 am GMT). The Sun's
conjunction with religious Jupiter and stately Saturn in strict Capricorn
reflect the nation's Wahabi faith, a puritanical sect of Islam. In 1936 the
nation began its transformation from a desert monarchy into a powerful
international player when oil was discovered as transiting Pluto opposed the
Saudi Sun.
When transiting Neptune was conjunct the Saudi Sun at the beginning of 1996
King Faud experienced burnout. He passed his authority over to Crown Prince
Abdullah, who remains in control today. Carmen bin Laden has an insider's
view, and she reported nervously that a coup within the royal family is
possible. Does the astrology reflect this possibility?
It does. The most severe stress in the Saudi chart is the Uranus-Pluto
opposition, and transiting Saturn and Pluto are heading into this zodiacal
zone (the progressed Sun is also hitting Uranus). To compound matters
transiting Neptune will be conjunct the Saudi Mars throughout 2002. As Carmen
said about Osama's Saudi roots, "This is what makes him dangerous, because he
has the backing of a lot of people there."
Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Al Qaeda's Mastermind
According to many accounts, Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant and chief
strategist for Al Qaeda's Holy War is the Egyptian terrorist Ayman
al-Zawahiri. He has been indicted for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings
of the U.S. Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and is suspected of
masterminding the September 11 attacks.
Ayman al-Zawahiri was born with his Sun conjunct the war planet Mars in the
outspoken, clever sign of Gemini (June 19, 1951; Cairo; time unknown).
Educated and trained as a surgeon, Zawahiri was first noticed by
anti-terrorist agencies in 1981 as he boldly ranted for Jihad while
imprisoned for the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
The Sun-Mars combination in Gemini is afflicted by severe challenges from
Saturn and Chiron, diverting a keen intellect into rationalizing religious
fanaticism. Mars square Saturn is well known for pushing the individual into
extreme tests of strength against established authority. The Chiron influence
is filtered through the highly moralistic sign of Sagittarius, adding an
explosive sense of outrage at perceived injustices.
Zawahiri helped build an international group of terrorist cells, a task
astrologically facilitated by his Pallas, the political strategy asteroid
found in the networking sign of Aquarius. Pallas is given religious overtones
by the favorable links to Jupiter and Neptune, but pushed into extremism by
the opposition to Pluto. The transit of Uranus to his Pallas-Pluto link over
the past two years cemented his radical vision into an elusive organization
specializing in global terror.
Reader feedback is welcome. Email: [email protected].
* Following the NewsScope article on bioterrorism (see October 8, 2001)
linking domestic terrorism with the transit of Uranus in the U.S fourth
house, several readers pointed out that anthrax and influenza are ruled by
Neptune. According to this correlation, the 1918 influenza epidemic was timed
with Neptune's transit over the U.S. North Node and square to the Scorpio
Ascendant.
I don't disagree with this assessment at all, but would add that Uranus and
Neptune cycles are nearly a perfect two to one ratio, so that one Uranus
cycle of 84 years equals one half a Neptune cycle. These two outer planets
work in tandem: when Neptune crosses the lunar node axis, Uranus is
simultaneously passing through the U.S. fourth house, leading to domestic
(fourth house) bioterrorist incidences (Neptune). Neptune is now on the US
South Node, and Uranus is heading for the US Moon. It's the special
combination of factors that lead to these unique events that astrologers can
monitor and anticipate.
