As May moves toward June and the beginning of summer, the triumphal military victory in Iraq is metamorphosing into a humanitarian and diplomatic nightmare for the Bush administration. Violence and crime are escalating in Baghdad, while a cholera epidemic is threatening in Basra. Electricity and clean water remain unavailable in many areas, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns of impending starvation for most of the population. In addition, the entire basis for the war – Saddam’s much publicized hoard of weapons of mass destruction – is looking more and more like a fabricated ploy used to manipulate the American public and the UN. And finally, this week’s vicious terrorist attack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has shredded Bush’s bogus claim of al Qaida’s increasing incapacitation.
Until now, the teflon-seeming Bush has been generally immune from the unintended consequences of his military adventure. Last week, cloaked in the garb of a naval pilot, Captain America crowed his great victory to the swooning masses from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. More recently, he has been happily preaching the Good Word on his tax cuts, promising they will cure everything from poverty to the common cold. But this optimistic and expansive attitude, with its aura of untouchable success, is about to end. It derives from Jupiter, which has been hovering around Bush’s Ascendant/ Mercury/ Pluto conjunction since mid-February. Especially strong since early April when Jupiter turned direct, this benefic transit ends as of mid-May.
Increasingly, the brutal reality of Pluto has begun overlapping Bush’s robust enjoyment of Jupiter during the first half of May. These are the last days of the Pluto station opposite Bush’s Uranus/progressed MC. Until May 20th, expect serious upsets, turmoil, and powerful surprises to impact the Commander-in-chief, and radically alter the status quo. The attack in Saudi Arabia is a manifestation of this transit. The Pluto transit is also returning to its exact conjunction of Inaugural Moon (until May 25), stimulating the administration’s underlying fear of terrorists and its attempt to take rigid control of everything so as to thwart feelings of powerlessness.
Interestingly, as Pluto recedes, Bush will be under a transit of Chiron square to his natal Moon from May 20 through June 8, suggestive of emotional volatility, upsets, and things generally setting off his propensity for peevishness. The fallout from the tumultuous events of the May Pluto transit, the increasing frustrations and fractiousness in Iraq, combined with the weakening of Jupiter’s success aura are likely to greatly irritate and disturb Mr. Bush.
A look at the Gulf War II chart indicates the increasing difficulties that will continue to plague the occupation of Iraq, especially during May. Here we find the natal Mercury/Sun conjunction in a square with natal Saturn, indicating tremendous obstacles in performing daily tasks and achieving stated goals. Although this pattern is endemic in the chart, it is particularly strong during May 2003, when transiting Saturn moves to the exact square of first, Mercury (27 Pisces), and then the Sun (29 Pisces). The first half of May, while Saturn has been square Mercury, has brought to light the total inefficiency and incompetence with which the occupation has been proceeding. The administration has been deluged with criticism that it neglected to plan adequately for the post-war occupation, having blithely ignored concerns about the health and safety of Iraqis, as well as their shrinking food supply.
Beginning around May 20th, simultaneous with Bush’s Chiron transit square his natal Moon, transiting Saturn will square the war chart Sun. During this period of about 10 days or so, difficulties in Iraq will seem more intractable than ever. The stated goals of finding and destroying WMD, as well as the attempts to bring stability and democracy to the country, will be frustrated and seem out of reach. Since the war chart Sun rules the natal 6th house, we can also expect the already serious humanitarian problems to become exacerbated during this time.
Another simmering difficulty for the Bush administration is the ongoing turf war and policy struggle between Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, which is likely to continue to fester, with periodic virulent eruptions. Uranus, with its station square to the Powell/Rumsfeld composite Sun and Venus and conjunct composite Saturn, is now triggering the enormous latent tension between the two men. This transit stretches from mid-March through mid-August 2003, with a particularly volatile period likely during June - and especially June 21 through 25 - during the Mars/Uranus conjunction at 2 Pisces 35. Whatever the events surrounding this conflict between Powell and Rumsfeld, there is likely to be some connection to the circumstances related to the powerful Mars station of July and August, which suggests a combative Bush pursuing the possibility of some kind of military or aggressive action.
It may be that June 2003 brings other, far more serious difficulties for Mr. Bush and the country, however. There are several indications that it will be a time of grief, hardship, and increasing struggle. In the US chart, Saturn will be square to the Midheaven (6/11 – 6/19) and then conjunct natal Venus (6/20 –6/27). This suggests significant problems having potentially to do with the economy, health concerns, and/or employment issues, as well as a time of burden, pessimism, and a loss of international prestige. With Uranus simultaneously quincunx the Midheaven, sudden, upsetting, and unexpected events are likely to be the source of these issues.
During this same period, there are Saturn transits hitting the charts of Bush's "Brain," Karl Rove, and Donald Rumsfeld. Rove will undergo Saturn square his natal Saturn (6/12 – 6/20) and opposite his Sun (6/19 – 6/27). Rumsfeld will experience Saturn conjunct his Venus (6/5 – 6/14), square his Moon (6/11 – 6/20) and quincunx his Saturn (6/16 – 6/23). In addition, Saturn will be quincunx the Inaugural Sun (6/2 – 6/17). Taken together, and with the aspects to the US chart, these configurations suggest that the coming difficulties will reflect poorly on the Bush administration (Rove chart and Inaugural MC) and possibly have to do with failures or significant setbacks in the war arena (Rumsfeld). An increase in worldwide terrorism directed at American targets is possible during much of the month, given the distress suggested by Saturn and the suddenness of any likely Uranus manifestation.
Events in June may culminate rather dramatically with the Uranus/ Mars conjunction between June 21 and June 25. It will be quincunx the US Midheaven and occur during the Saturn transit to US Venus. We can expect a sudden, upsetting, and violent event that causes sorrow and grief in the country.
During July and August, an enormous amount of Mars energy impacts Bush’s, Rumsfeld’s, and the US charts. This suggests a decidedly militant attitude and possible military engagement during that time. I am left wondering if the painful and upsetting events of June, and especially the potentially volatile last 10 days of the month, are what feed into a newly aggressive attitude from the administration in July and August.
