NewsScope for October 14, 2003

Arnold, the Archetypal Warrior

A few days before the California recall election, Tom Brokaw was asking Arnold Schwarzenegger about the numerous allegations of his groping women. "Aren't you worried?," he asked. Arnold responded with typical confidence, "I'm not a worrier," and then brightened with the afterthought, "I'm a warrior." As described previously*, Arnold and his wife Maria are a fast-rising power couple on America's political scene.

Astrologically, Arnold Schwarzenegger's personal and cinematic image as a warrior is well-founded, and is encoded in his natal Mars located at 20 degrees Gemini. Since the U.S. Mars is also at 20 degrees Gemini, Schwarzenegger is uniquely qualified to personify the American ideal of physical strength and courage. His Mars is given an adventurous, risk-taking facet by being conjunct Uranus in Gemini.

Even more fitting is that he was born only four days after the U.S. military establishment was founded by the National Security Act of July 26, 1947. Virtually every planet in his horoscope is in the same place as the Pentagon's horoscope. As the Pentagon's recent forays into several new wars was activated by transiting Pluto's opposition to the natal Mars, so Arnold likewise began some new adventures under the same influence.

Transiting Pluto will oppose Arnold's Mars (and the U.S. Mars) several times in 2004, indicating that powerful rivals and enemies are gathering strength to challenge his (and U.S. military) policies. Astrologers will be able to see parallel developments between Arnold's political life and the U.S. military over the next year. Arnold's first Plutonian challenge is in late December and early January, by which time he must present his plan to balance the California budget.

Explosive Trouble in the Sunni Triangle

The Bush administration presented three major speeches last week in an attempt to answer criticism over foreign policy in Iraq. The need to regain public support became paramount as the situation in Iraq continued to deteriorate. Meanwhile, Saddam Hussein remains hidden somewhere within the Sunni Triangle, the infamously dangerous territory delineated by Baghdad, Ramadi and Tikrit.

Saddam's horoscope (April 28, 1937; 8:05 am; Tikrit) indicates that we can soon expect some major developments in the Sunni Triangle. Transiting Mars is now heading back into a key sector in Saddam's natal chart. Mars arrives at his Midheaven and squares his Moon-Mars conjunction from October 19-22. The last time Mars was in this sector was on August 29 when Iraqi opposition leader Bakr Al-Hakim was killed in a car bomb explosion.

The progressed chart is based on the formula that one day after birth is symbolically equivalent to one year. Saddam’s progressed Moon will be conjunct his natal Uranus on October 17, further emphasizing this timeframe as being spectacularly explosive. The Uranian element emphasizes the unexpected, sudden, surprising and shocking.

The likely scenarios feature another major assassination or car bombing carried out by Saddam loyalists. Alternatively, Saddam himself could be captured or killed. The transiting Sun squares Saddam's powerful Jupiter-Pluto opposition on the 19th and 20th, the most likely dates for big news about the former dictator, but watch the period between October 17-21 for uprisings, suicide bombings, and some explosive event that changes the direction of the U.S. occupation in Iraq.

Rush Limbaugh: Busted

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh admitted to his audience last week that he's addicted to drugs, specifically the prescription painkiller OxyContin, also known as "hillbilly heroin." Limbaugh plans to check into a rehabilitation clinic, effectively immediately, thus ending for at least the next 30 days one of America's most influential political voices. His show is heard by an estimated 20 million listeners over 600 stations.

Rush Limbaugh was born a conservative Capricorn (January 12, 1951; 7:50 am; Cape Girardeau, Missouri) with his Sun square Neptune, the planet associated with drugs. His has the Moon in Pisces, which is likewise prone to taking drugs when the personality feels heavy pressure from the mundane or physical world. While many people have these same natal conditions and do not get addicted, the potential is always present.

And Limbaugh has been under great stress over the past few years, a psychological trend apparent from his progressed chart. His progressed Mars has been opposing his natal Saturn, an extremely combative, and often frustrating planetary set-up. The psychological tension expressed in this polarity can lead to accidents, illness or chronic physical pain. The cure requires flexibility, cooperation and tolerance for others' views.

Transiting Saturn entered Limbaugh's Sixth House of health several months ago and formed a conjunction with Uranus, precipitating this health crisis. Saturn remains in this house for another two years, during which Limbaugh may face jail time, up to ten years for buying OxyContin on the Florida black market. This scenario gets more real next year when transiting Saturn opposes his Sun, located in the Twelfth House of confinement.

*See NewsScope for August 12, 2003; August 25, 2003; and October 21, 2002.

Personal readings are available from Michael WolfStar.