NewsScope for May 28, 2002

Pakistan and India on the Brink

As transiting Saturn and Pluto form their exact opposition over the weekend, Pakistan and India are preparing for war over the disputed territory of Kashmir. One million soldiers are facing each other across their shared border as Pakistan conducts "routine" missile tests. Earlier in the week India's Prime Minister Vajpayee exhorted his troops to prepare themselves for a decisive battle.

The astrological dynamics reflect the absolute seriousness of the current confrontation. The Saturn-Pluto opposition lines up perfectly with Vajpayee's Sagittarius Moon (December 25, 1924; 5:45 am; Gwalior, India*). It's also right on his Ascendant/Descendant axis, pitting the PM's personal agenda for India against a powerful enemy. The extremist tendencies involved in this celestial combination could easily spiral out of control.

India and Pakistan are celestial twins, born in the modern era on the same day (August 15, 1947; 12:00 am*). Both are experiencing their Mars Return this week, which activates last year's Summer Solstice Solar Eclipse. In Pakistan's chart progressed Mars is nearly exactly conjunct the Fourth House cusp. Mars here dominates all other astrological factors, and promises military conflict on the home front, either a civil war or attack from an enemy.

The U.S. and Britain are both sending diplomatic envoys to ease tensions. Even if they are successful in the short term, progressed Mars remains on Pakistan's doorstep, making its entry into the Fourth House in late November. Adding fuel to the fire is the progressed Moon, which joins Mars in early October. This combination is extremely dangerous, and fits the planetary signals for a nuclear showdown.

Pluto Ends an Era

During the same week that FBI agent Coleen Rowley was blowing the whistle on her supervisors, President Bush was in Moscow signing an historic pact to reduce each nation's nuclear warheads. The two events are not unrelated since the FBI, the CIA, and other intelligence gathering agencies were formed to fight in the Cold War.

The current uproar over what the FBI knew, when they knew it, and what they did about it is a natural manifestation of the Saturn-Pluto opposition. The essential course of Saturn-Pluto aspects is to destroy outmoded or weak forms and then build something more practical for the long term. The restructuring process is aiming at unnecessary nuclear arsenals, and intelligence agencies built on the outmoded Cold War model.

Since the Bolshevik Revolution took place when the Sun was in Scorpio (November 8, 1917), and since the U.S. has Scorpio Rising, Pluto plays the dominant role in their geopolitical developments. When transiting Pluto was conjunct the U.S. Midheaven, the point of destiny, World War II ended and the Cold War began. Russia and the U.S. went from allies to enemies, and the U.S. created several intelligence agencies to fight this secret war. (Editor's note: WolfStar uses a Scorpio Rising chart for the United States.)

When transiting Pluto squared the U.S. Midheaven in 1990 the Soviet Union collapsed. Now that Pluto is forming a favorable trine to the U.S. Midheaven, Russia and the U.S. have become the best of friends. Saturn and Pluto are now pressing to reform the intelligence agencies for this new era, the war on terrorism.

Claudia Schiffer Disregards Prenup Agreement

German supermodel Claudia Schiffer married British film producer Matthew Vaughn over the weekend, and each promised not to claim any of the other's property if they break up. Schiffer's father, a lawyer, drew up a prenuptial agreement, but the two opted for a verbal agreement based on the strength of their relationship.

Claudia Schiffer was born a practical Virgo (August 25, 1970; 12:10 pm; Rheinberg, Germany) with her Sun favorably enhanced by a close sextile to Jupiter, the ruler of her Second House of money. The Sun in the Tenth House feels comfortable being one of the world's top five models. Since the Sun is conjunct the Moon's South Node in this position, the esoteric astrologer would say that she was a famous celebrity in previous incarnations. (Editor's note: Mars in Leo conjunct the Midheaven is good for a glamorous career. Venus in Libra trine the Moon is a lovely combination for a model, too.)

With enchanting Scorpio Rising, Schiffer was bestowed with piercing blue eyes. Pluto, her ruling planet, is conjunct Mercury, giving her a shrewd, analytical mind that has helped expand her modeling career into several other enterprises, including movies and a shared ownership of the Fashion Cafes. This Mercury-Pluto conjunction can be a stickler for creating the proper documents, especially prenuptial agreements.

However, on the day she was married Mercury was retrograde. Any agreement made during Mercury retrograde is subject to radical revision. Next year transiting Uranus will be opposite her Sun, indicating possible separation. An astrologer advising Ms. Schiffer would say that her $55 million nest egg and the $7.5 million 16th century castle that she and her husband just bought are at risk.

*See NewsScope December 24 and 31, 2001 for more on India, Pakistan, and Vajpayee. Pakistan and its President Musharraf were discussed in the September 18, 2001 issue.