NewsScope for September 18, 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 8, 2001) that 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.* (Editor's Note: WolfStar uses a Scorpio rising U.S. chart.)

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. Transiting Neptune, creating a cloud of uncertainty over Pakistan's covert operations, is currently opposing Mercury.

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
This birth date should be considered speculative since another reputable source has issued a birth date of July 30, 1957. 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? 
 

Terrorists Hit Trade Centers and  Pentagon
For further reading, see Michael WolfStar's Special NewsScope Update from September 12.