NewsScope for August 27, 2007
Pluto Enters Pakistani Politics
Last Thursday, the increasingly assertive Pakistan Supreme Court ruled that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can return from exile. The ruling puts a cloud over General Musharraf's plans to get re-elected, since the two leaders are bitter rivals. Another former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, has been in secret talks with Musharraf to share power, even though these two are also intense political foes.
Sharif was born with his Capricorn Sun (December 25, 1949; Lahore, Pakistan; time unknown) opposite Uranus and square Mars, a particularly violent and unstable combination for a national leader. In fact, Sharif was first deposed as Prime Minister by Bhutto on July 18, 1993, but when he re-gained power, he was then deposed by General Musharraf on October 12, 1999.
Benazir Bhutto (June 21, 1953; 7:59 pm*, Karachi, Pakistan) was born with her Gemini Sun conjunct Mars, a combination which directly opposes Sharif's Capricorn Sun, so they are natural enemies. At the moment, Bhutto's progressed Sun is conjunct natal Pluto, reflecting her secret negotiations for power. Her progressed Moon (in the tenth house of status) is in cooperative Libra, but last week it squared Uranus, upsetting her plans.
The dangerous Sun-Mars square shaping up in September (see below) should be especially unsettling in Pakistan. President Musharraf (August 11, 1943) has his Leo Sun square Mars, so that all three leaders have dynamic Sun-Mars aspects. After Pluto turns direct, it goes on to oppose Bhutto's Sun and square Sharif's Mars, ensuring that politics in nuclear-armed, Islamic Pakistan will remain intensely conflicted.
Top Five Astro-Events for September
1. Saturn enters Virgo on September 2, and soon hits critical points in the presidential candidates' charts. Saturn here tests their resolve about military deployments in Iraq and elsewhere, shaking out those who don't carry Saturn's sensibility. Saturn will oppose Uranus in 2008, evoking the same configuration that split the American psyche over Vietnam.
2. Pluto turns direct September 7 and Venus turns direct the next day, right on the U.S. Midheaven, marking an eventful phase, especially in the economy; watch for leading indicators to reveal the direction. Pluto's station often brings natural or humanitarian disasters. Also, political, military, and business leaders rise and fall on these dates.
3. Solar Eclipse on September 11 takes place simultaneously with the U.S. Mars Return, indicating an emphasis on terrorism and how to combat it. This eclipse takes place near the U.S. Neptune, as well as the Saturn-Uranus opposition on election day (November 4, 2008), foreshadowing the growing division over how to manage America's military-petroleum complex.
4. The Sun, Mars and Pluto form an angry, dramatic T-square, most dangerous from the 11th to 21st. Expect power plays, extreme actions, and direct confrontations at all levels of society. Compromise is highly unlikely, as leaders stake out unwavering positions against powerful enemies. Watch for an unusual number of explosions, fires, and accidents to make headline news.
5. The Fall Equinox takes place at 5:52 am (EDT), September 23. In Washington, DC, Uranus is right on the Descendant, where it likely describes an ongoing crisis atmosphere in the nation's capitol. The chart set for NYC has 18º Virgo Rising, the same degree as the Solar Eclipse, perhaps signaling a financial reversal or other spectacular event.
Billy Graham and the Presidents
When journalist Michael Duffy was looking for an angle to portray the connection between religion and American politics, he discovered the Billy Graham factor: how this famous preacher has counseled and befriended every sitting president from Eisenhower to Clinton. The result, The Preacher and the Presidents, has become a best-selling book, and a timely tribute to one of America's most famous citizens.
Billy Graham was born with his Sun in intense Scorpio (November 7, 1918; 3:30 pm; Charlotte, NC) and Aries Rising, a strident, pioneering combination looking for a mission or cause. With Mars, his ruling planet, in the ninth house of religion, Graham found his calling as a religious crusader. Saturn, the ruler of his Midheaven, trines Mars, giving him moral strength and courage.
Graham's Scorpio Sun is conjunct Venus and trine Jupiter, adding to his religious fiber and popularity. This combination generally attracts wealth very easily, but Graham repeatedly turned down offers to enrich himself. The Sun is also sextile Ceres in the tenth house, giving him a paternalistic aura that grew wiser and stronger over his career. Ceres in Capricorn opposes the U.S. Sun, and describes his role as counselor and caretaker (Ceres) for American leaders (Sun).
Graham's Mars is conjunct the Moon on one side and the political asteroid Pallas on the other. The Sagittarius Moon is passionately opinionated, and provides the emotional support for his crusading. The prominence of Pallas reflects his political shrewdness and attraction to power. On June 14, 2007, his wife and soulmate Ruth died as transiting Pluto was conjunct his Mars. One suspects that as Pluto returns to this degree over the next few months, Graham himself will be riding off into the sunset.
* For more on Bhutto and source notes, see NewsScope February 25, 2002. There's much more on Pakistan at www.neptunecafe.com
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