Pluto's Historical Pivot Point
With religious Jupiter turning direct on Bush's grandiose Leo Ascendant, the underlying motivation for an invasion into Iraq is becoming clear: he's on a messianic mission to remap the Middle East, with the ultimate goal of bringing democracy to the region's Arab nations. If he fails, he risks the anti-American anger of 1.2 billion Muslims, the failure of the United Nations as an instrument of global order, and his own political downfall.
March 17 is now the deadline for U.N. resolutions, a date very close to Pluto's retrograde station. Pluto is nearly opposite the U.S. Mars in Gemini, a combination representing an extremely violent geopolitical climate involving U.S. interests and its military. The aspect is still a bit wide, and won't become exact until Pluto turns direct in August and then heads into the first opposition in January 2004.
However, Pluto is nearly exactly trine to the U.S. Chiron, which in the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope is found in the 6th house of the armed forces. Pluto stopping in the heavens as it forms a trine to the U.S. Chiron is a likely signal to start the war. The Moon will be in Sagittarius and aligning with Pluto on March 23rd, perhaps acting as the celestial triggering mechanism for the "shock and awe" attack the Pentagon has in mind.
The U.S. progressed Moon will be conjunct Mars on May 16, perhaps signifying an end to the fighting, and the establishment of a temporary U.S.-led military regime in Iraq. The important astrological perspective is that this fight isn't over by a long shot, as transiting Pluto's opposition to Mars lasts throughout 2004 and well into 2005.
North Korea, the Second Front
Tensions escalated last week around North Korea following Kim Il Jong's threat of a nuclear holocaust if the U.S. carries out a pre-emptive strike on its nuclear facilities. The Pentagon responded with joint military exercises with South Korea and by sending 24 bomber aircraft to Guam, while North Korea will soon be testing another missile. U.S. planners are concerned that North Korea will sell its nuclear weapons on the international black market.
North Korea declared its independence on September 10, 1948, and although the time of the announcement in Pyongyang is unknown, a time of 8:50 pm* is used here. North Korea has Mars powerfully placed in Scorpio, and at this birth time it's right on the Descendant, creating a hyper-defensive reaction to perceived threats from its enemies, especially the U.S. (with Scorpio Rising).
Ths Sun in Virgo in the sixth house of the military services emphasizes the reliance on the military for a sense of national identity. Mars is fortified by a trine to Uranus, and an octile (45 degree aspect) to the Moon-Jupiter conjunction. Mars squares Venus and Ceres in the fourth house, indicating how the military has taken away financial and agricultural resources that has led to chronic famine conditions.
Transiting Uranus has been opposing NK's Saturn, reflecting how the government has been flouting international authority. More significantly, transiting Pluto is nearing NK's Moon-Jupiter conjunction and simultaneously octile to NK's reactionary Mars. Pluto's position here describes the opening of a second front for the Pentagon's military strategists.
Norah Jones Don't Know Why
Last week Norah Jones' debut album "Come Away With Me" sold 621,000 copies, about 500,000 more than the previous week, to attain the biggest post-Grammy sales spike ever. The daughter of famed sitar player Ravi Shankar picked up eight Grammys on February 23, including Best New Artist and Best Album of the year. To date the album has sold some 4.2 million copies.
Norah Jones was born a strong-willed Aries (March 30, 1979; NYC; time unknown) with a Mercury-Mars conjunction adding energy and drive. Her musical style follows her Aries urge to be an original, as she combined various genres to get what is now called neo-jazz. With her Moon in practical, down-to-earth Taurus, she has pointedly chosen to dress in anti-Britney outfits, meaning a more sedate, relaxed style.
Jones has a heavy emphasis on water planets in her chart, including a Grand Trine involving Mercury, Mars, Uranus, and Jupiter. This creates a closed-circuit of feeling, something she taps into when she sings. When we listen to her, we feel what she feels, and it's deep and moving. On February 23 transiting Uranus was forming an exact aspect to her Jupiter during the Grammy awards, accounting for her sudden burst of fame.
Norah Jones has Venus in early Pisces, which over the next month will be contacted by transiting Uranus. This Uranus-to-Venus combo is an electrifying, exciting vibration, often bringing a new love interest, as well as making her something of a goddess. Transiting Uranus will be back and forth across her Venus throughout 2003, dramatically increasing her personal popularity, and her image in the mainstream media.
* This time is rectified by the author and should be considered speculative. Advanced astrologers may want to compare this chart to historical North Korean events, such as the beginning of the Korean War (June 25, 1950), Kim Il Sung's death (July 7, 1994) and the capture of the USS Pueblo (January 23, 1968), using transits, secondary and tertiary progressions.
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