Air Strike on Iraq

In the first significant military action of the new Bush administration, last
Friday two dozen U.S. and British aircraft fired guided missiles at targeted
sites near Iraq's capital Baghdad. The air raids capped off a week of
military events which included Bush's promise to completely modernize the
Pentagon's weapons and mission, and continued through the investigation of
the accidental sinking of a Japanese fishing boat.

The astrology of the week perfectly paralleled the military theme of the week
with Mars, the planet of action, war, and military events, being the leading
indicator. As the week began, transiting Uranus was approaching a trine to
the U.S. Mars, inspiring President Bush to take his first ride on Air Force
One, and promise the troops a pay raise at Fort Stewart, GA.

Toward week's end transiting Mars had entered Sagittarius and was nearly
opposite Jupiter (as described in last week's NewsScope). The Mars-Jupiter
combination invokes a spirit of military adventurism, and for terrorist
organizations is a celestial call to action. In Kosovo, Jerusalem, and
elsewhere around our global village many violent and destructive acts were
perpetrated in the name of one god or another.

Meanwhile, transiting Uranus was exactly trine the U.S. Mars on Friday,
presenting a strong double Mars influence for Americans. Several other
astrological links climaxed on Friday, including a Moon-Pluto trine the U.S.
Midheaven, which reflected the use of power on the world stage. A military
spokesman said there was no particular reason why the air strikes had to
happen on Friday, but as astrologers, we take a different view.

Up Next: Neptune

Another astrological double influence is shaping up over the next month
involving Neptune. Neptune in the U.S. horoscope is just one degree past an
exact square to Mars, so once an outer planet transit links up with Mars,
Neptune is next in line. Transiting Uranus was trine Mars last week, and by
mid-March will be forming an inconjunction (150 degree aspect) to the U.S.
Neptune.

At the same time transiting Neptune will be squaring the U.S. Scorpio
Ascendant. This aspect actually becomes exact during the first week of April,
but will be less than a degree away throughout all of March. Neptune-related
events will certainly be on the nation's agenda under this double influence.
Neptune's symbolism includes events related to oil and gas, political
scandal, and terrorism.

Already we can see Neptune's influence shaping the political landscape.
Former President Clinton is under investigation for his pardon of billionaire
Marc Rich. Then, high on the Bush agenda is opening the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration. Neptune governs spies: the CIA, NSA, and
other American intelligence agencies can look forward to large budget
increases as they attempt to monitor and short-circuit domestic terrorist
plots.

Transiting Uranus is unique in the astrological pantheon because it manifests
at the exact hit to natal planets, not when it's within a certain range and
then gets activated by other planets. Therefore, look during the first week
of March for sudden and unexpected Neptunian developments when transiting
Uranus makes its exact inconjunction to the U.S. Neptune.

Marc Rich, Billionaire Refugee

Bill Clinton's controversial, last minute pardon of billionaire Marc Rich
will likely be front-page news in March when the House opens its second
hearing on the matter. Rich currently lives in Switzerland, a country that
does not recognize tax evasion as a crime and has refused to extradite the
commodities trader.

Marc Rich was born a cosmopolitan Sagittarius (December 18, 1934; Antwerp,
Belgium; time unknown). His Sun closely trines original, inventive Uranus in
Aries, and also forms close aspects to Saturn and Pluto, giving him a strong
sense of self-confidence, and an ambitious drive for power and control.

Rich is well-known for his charitable donations, which include to the Jewish
community and allegedly to the Democratic Party through his ex-wife Denise.
Charity, kindness, care-taking and philanthropic gestures are a function of
the asteroid Ceres, which in Rich's horoscope is conjunct Pluto. Pluto's
influence over Ceres infers both an extremely large gesture, as well as the
expectation of getting something in return. On the day of Rich's pardon,
transiting Ceres was conjunct his Sun.

Rich's horoscope is characterized by a Mercury-Neptune square. This influence
often leads to secret deals, deception, and dishonesty. Also on the day he
was pardoned transiting Pluto was exactly square his Neptune, and by the time
the hearings are over, will have crossed over his Mercury. "I've been
portrayed in a horrible way," says Rich, "as a workaholic, a loner, a
money-machine. It's not a true picture. I'm a modest, quiet person who has
never done anything illegal."

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