NewsScope for July 6, 2004

The Transfer of Sovereignty in Iraq

The note passed to President Bush while he was at the NATO summit indicated that sovereignty was officially passed to the interim Iraqi government at 10:26 am, two days ahead of schedule. While the new government's primary tasks included establishing its own legitimacy, turning on the electricity, creating a climate of domestic security, and most significantly, trying Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity.

The new Iraq horoscope (June 28, 2004; 10:26 am; Baghdad*) reflects strong ties to the United States, as seen by the close planetary connections to the U.S. Scorpio Rising horoscope (July 4, 1776; 2:21 pm; Philadelphia). The Iraqi Sun in Cancer is conjunct the U.S. Jupiter, showing how U.S. wealth (Jupiter) supports the new Iraqi leadership (Sun). Some $15 billion in ongoing construction projects pays the way for close partnership and economic development.

Then, the new Iraq's Moon in Scorpio is precisely conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant. The Moon, symbolizing the people's security needs, remains strongly dependent on the U.S., and especially on the 140,000 troops. This tie is restated by Pluto in the Fourth House opposite the U.S. Mars, although this difficult, dynamic connection shows the intense domestic animosity to the continued U.S. military presence.

Iraq's Ceres plays a key role in this chart, and is found in the Twelfth House of hidden affairs. Ceres represents the nurturing, protective, care-taking function, and happens to be exactly conjunct the U.S. Midheaven in Leo (16Leo09). Ceres in Leo (16LEO11) represents the hidden imperial force that protects the established interim government from behind the scenes.

Hillary Clinton for Vice President?

As the Democratic National Convention draws near, interest is mounting over who John Kerry will pick for his running mate. Recently, John McCain made a joint appearance with Bush at a GOP fund-raiser, so he's obviously out of the picture. While Washington insiders favor John Edwards or Richard Gephardt, some pundits suggest that Hillary Clinton, who has repeatedly declined the offer, is still in the running.

Hillary Clinton's horoscope (October 26, 1947; 8:00 am; Chicago) indicates she is indeed among the top contenders for the job. On Tuesday the Sun and Saturn are conjunct, a combination indicating important developments around the formation of leadership. This would be a likely time for Kerry to make or announce his decision, and the Sun-Saturn pairing happens to be favorably trine Ms. Clinton's Venus.

Juno, the partnership asteroid, is also highly relevant here. Juno is under a once-in-a-lifetime activation**, pointing to total identification with her mate. While she and Bill may be getting along fine now, their relationship, and the publication of Bill's 957-page book, doesn't reflect the momentous import of this Juno astro-event. Juno may also represent her as John Kerry's political partner.

The U.S. national horoscope favors a woman on the ticket since Venus is being favorably awakened by a trine from transiting Uranus. The U.S. Venus is also trine to Hillary's Scorpio Sun, creating a neat web of connections (a Grand Trine) that places Hillary Clinton in the national spotlight. Whether Hillary emerges as a huge supporter of Kerry, or being on the ticket herself, we should find out this week.

Marlon Brando, The Artistic Rebel

Many critics feel that Marlon Brando's best years were between 1951 and 1954 when he made his break out films A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and Viva Zapata. In each of these pictures his smoldering sexuality and mumbling rebelliousness redefined the concept of a male movie star, as he made T-shirted angst cool before James Dean was a tragic teenager.

Brando was born during the New Moon in Aries (April 3, 1924; 11:00 pm; Omaha, NB), giving him all the fighting spirit of this first sign. His Sun and Moon are further energized by a square to Mars, a combination that recognizes no limits from traditional authorities. With Aries and Mars so prominently placed in his horoscope, he naturally played the tough guy.

Uranus, the planet representing rebellion and personal independence, is located in the Fourth House of the home and family, as are his Sun and Moon. These planets inevitably create a tempestuous domestic scene, and Brando's early home life was the very definition of dysfunctional. In his autobiography, Brando writes about his father, "His blood consisted of compounds of blood, alcohol, testosterone, and anger."

These stressful planets in his Fourth House provided the psychological foundation that shaped the rest of his life. Brando's love life was as outrageous and unpredictable off-screen as his anti-social roles were on-screen, a pattern that continued right to the end. "What are you rebelling against?," asks a barmaid in the 1954 flick The Wild Ones. Brando responds, "What have you got?"

*Baghdad is on daylight savings time, so the time 10:26 is four hours from UT. Many popular astrology software programs have not made this upgrade to Iraq's current time zones. This horoscope should show 2VIR40 Rising.

**Hillary Clinton's progressed Sun is now exactly, to-the-minute conjunct her Juno. Advanced astrologers will also note that transiting Uranus is activating her progressed Mars near her Midheaven, showing how she may change her mind abruptly to accept the nomination.

Personal readings are available from Michael WolfStar.