Fur and feathers are flying with the surprise announcement of a secretly-negotiated USA, Australia, UK deal to sell nuclear powered submarines to Australia. The French are upset since it scuppers a $66 billion contract to sell diesel-submarines to Australia. The Chinese have their nose out of joint since it is widely seen as an effort to counter their influence in the contested South China Sea.
The AUKUS pact was announced in Canberra at 10.37am on 16 September 2021 (I’m not sure whether this was the original tri-partite Biden/Morrison/Johnson announcement) – but whichever came first there is a lacklustre, indecisive Sun opposition Neptune which isn’t too inspiring though it is balanced by a controlling Sun trine Moon Pluto. The next two years will be the testing time as the Solar Arc Neptune moves to close the opposition to exact.
What is clear from all the charts – China 1912 and China 1949, USA, UK, Australia and France – is that the real problems will emerge in 2023/2024. And that occurs right across all the relationships between each of them. There will be rumblings of discontent and disillusionment before then but that is when it peaks. With the exception of France/UK who will squabble throughout, as is their way, which may be over other bones of contention.
Add On: It may be coincidental but picking up from an older post about the charts of US and UK warships – USS Abraham Lincoln, Gerald Ford, Milwaukee and HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales – all look rattled in 2023/24. So there may be more obvious tensions than usual which doesn’t mean outright conflict but it could be sabre-rattling and responses. The two key Australian warships HMAS Canberra and Adelaide also look to be moving through a similar, highly disruptive patch.
Add On/2: The Australia USA relationship chart in essence is Plutonic, which suggests closeness though also perhaps one-sided control and dominance with a tendency for provoking oneupmanship battles with a composite Pluto opposition Sun and Jupiter as well as trine Mars. Where relations will be rattled most severely will be in 2024/25 when tr Pluto in Aquarius opposes the Mars and tr Uranus opposes the composite Saturn – which could be facing a fraught situation together, or ructions caused by a change-over Presidency.
The USA/UK relationship may hit problems next year though that could be for different reasons. Biden and Johnson do not get on to put it mildly with hostility and suspicion writ large on their relationship chart.
As a further throwaway addendum – China is not a success region on Biden’s astrocartography, assuming an accurate birth time.
Marjorie, does the Plutonic nature of the relationship between the US and Australia also mean that should there be a falling out, it will be prolonged and brutal?
If it came to it, yes. And it does look stressed 2023 onwards.
Thank you. Dodgy times.
Thank you for this, Marjorie. There was an article in the Telegraph today, partly a bit of a dig at Macron’s petulance really, but making the point that the US views NATO as an increasing irrelevance as the geopolitical map shifts and arguing that the ‘Anglosphere’ shares not only a common language but similar values and ideas of what constitutes freedom, thus the writer says, the connections between these nations are historically deeper. China’s threat in the Pacific requires the need for maritime defence and the U.K. in particular have a long history in this regard.
I see that the natal chart has Venus in Scorpio and Moon/Pluto in the 2nd reflecting the secrecy surrounding this pact and the global financial impact of the alliance. The trine between Libra Mercury in the 11th and Aquarius Jupiter in the 3rd show is a very airy mutual reception of a sort and I think shows the ideals of common purpose, language and partnership, you could say somewhat too idealistically perhaps. The Sun opposition Neptune is a little worrying but perhaps implies the maritime and sea defence aspect, with Moon/Pluto in Capricorn sextiling Neptune in Pisces in the 4th opposition Sun/Mars. It will be interesting to see how things progress into the next few years.
It is a shame the late Ed Tamplin is no longer with us as he would probably be able to give some interesting astrological insights from the Australian perspective. With regard to US and French relations I note that Biden’s Mars at 12 Scorpio squares Macrons Mars at 11 Leo. That suggests irritations and arguments between the two which will be difficult to resolve as both have Mars in fixed signs and will not easily be shifted from their positions.
The phrase that always comes to mind when I think of Mars square Mars in Leo/Scorpio synastry is ‘the unstoppable force meets the immovable object’, Hugh.
I really miss Ed Tamplin’s writing — he had a true passion for mundane astrology
This does indeed appear to be a critical moment or turning point. It’s interesting what Hugh says about the Mercury-Mars energies too. Could that be more sabre rattling and belligerent bluster? Obviously, I hope that’s all it is.
I noticed that the 27 Taurus lunar eclipse on 19th November seems to have a part to play too. It is conjunct BML in the Pact chart. At the same time, transiting Mars in Scorpio opposes the Pact Uranus in the 5th house, which offers a risky business type of message.
In the composite charts this eclipse, aligned with the intense fixed star Algol (Medusa’s Head) squares composite Mars in China/Australia’s chart.
For China/USA it is square the Sun, with BML at 13 Gemini aligning with BML in the eclipse chart. Transiting Mars opposition Uranus squares onto the composite Moon/Chiron.
For France/UK this eclipse will square Pluto at 27 Aquarius.
There was a lunar eclipse at 28 Taurus on 20th November, 2002. This was during the run-up to the Iraq War announcement in March 2003. At that time France opposed this invasion, and there was a very negative response from the USA to that stance. I think an eclipse aligned with Algol is likely to be very significant, and that the Mars-Uranus opposition with it’s wider square to Saturn at that time requires great care.
Just noticed another eclipse curiosity. The two spring eclipses of 1790, happened when the French Revolution was moving towards the fall of the Bastille in July. The first was a spectacular total lunar eclipse on 28th April at 8 Taurus. In April 2022 we have a solar eclipse at 10 Taurus. Then on 14th May 1790 there was a partial solar eclipse at 24 Taurus, conjunct Algol. On 15th May 2022 we have a lunar eclipse at 25 Scorpio, opposing Algol – chiming with the November 19th lunar eclipse in Taurus conjunct Algol this winter.
The French First Republic chart, 22nd September 1792, has Mars at 26 Scorpio, opposing or conjunct those eclipse points, and Algol. Hugh mentions transiting Jupiter at 22 Aquarius conjunct the US progressed Mercury. The French First Republic chart also has Uranus at 21 Leo opposing Pluto at 21 Aquarius. November’s eclipse has Mercury at 21 Scorpio.
President Joe Biden, 20th November, 1942 has Sun 27 Scorpio, Venus 28 Scorpio, Mercury 21 Scorpio, and Mars 12 Scorpio. The November eclipse is one day before his birthday, I haven’t looked at a solar return for him. But these patterns are fascinating. The French Revolution affected and influenced debate and strategies in both the US and Britain at the time.
Interesting that Mercury planet of communication was almost exactly conjunct the descendant at 20 Libra in the French 5th Republic Chart of 6 October 1958 when the announcement was made. It is currently crossing the French Republics North Node at 22 Libra on the 18-20th September before turning stationing at 25 Libra where it will square Pluto at 24 Capricorn. I will then turn retrograde about 27 September 2021. Mercury by retrograde motion will be back at 20 Libra on 6 October which is the French Republics Solar Return. Mars by transit will be almost exactly conjunct the French Sun at 12 Libra before that date. The Moon by transit at 6 Libra in the Solar Return chart will be trine the French Republics natal Saturn at 6 Aquarius.
As I mentioned on an earlier thread about Jo Biden and the USA it is worth noting that transiting Mercury retrograde conjuncts the US progressed Mars on 9th October 2021. Transiting Mars will be conjunct the US Progressed Mars on 11-12 October 2021. Both Mercury and Mars by transit together with the US Progressed Mars retrograde will be combust the Sun about this time. Jupiter by transit will be retrograde at 22 Aquarius conjunct the US Progressed Mercury in this period. It will be interesting to watch events about these dates.
The US Progressed Mars is in the US 2nd House of Finances and Libra which rules partnerships and is associated with the 7th house of relationships where open enemies also reside. Mercury by transit is currently in the French Republics 7th House. I think the current bust up between the French and the USA is likely to be far more significant for both countries than the normal spats between the U.K. and France.
Apologies the the Moon at 6 Libra in the French Republics Solar Return Chart for 2021 is trine transiting Saturn in Aquarius not the the natal Saturn.
Just noticed that the North Node by Transit is also conjunct the French Republics Mars in that Solar Return Chart. Lots of Mars/Mercury energy there. I think this is a significant and possibly fated Solar Return for the French Republic
The North node is also conjunct Scott Morrison’s Mars at 3 Gemini, Biden’s retrograde Uranus at 2 Gemini and Johnson’s Mars at 1 Gemini. Lots of connections across the charts.
Very interesting – thank you. American is now approaching it’s first Pluto return. It’s ironic that the very country it is founded upon, is the country it betrays. Perhaps this is the first omen for America’s future? Allegiances to all old ties are being broken. America is following the new strategically placed countries with new powers and money. America’s film industry has been making more films in Australia and is investing. Australia is well placed for American planes to be based. Johnson may either being muscling in or has underestimated the very real risk that Australia may become a firm favourite with the US. In the Australian/UK composite chart the Mars/South node midpoint is just a degree or so away from Neptune in the 6th house – all may not be seen as it is. It would be interesting to see the Composite Chart between Australia and America.
Watch for the announcement coming in a few months that the West will boycott the Winter Olympics to be held in Beijing in February. I expect the world economy to unravel from there. War may follow a few years later.
Love the bit about old bones of contention with France/U.K. as our composite Moon squares composite Saturn. The Moon is also in a wide conjunction with Chiron, another reference to old bones’ as Chiron wounds never heal. Yet Mercury is Trine the North Node, conjunct Neptune and sextile South Node. Perhaps this will be an unseen difficult and to define fall out. Not too open, just general difficulties with migrants and produce? The Bayeux Tapestry is due to come to Britain, Macron may ”sew” the silks of discontent by banning it. One in the eye for Harold or de Piffle ( I know it is not the correct spelling) . We will keep talking though, as France and the U.K. are slightly like distant siblings – stuck with each other.
Marjorie, any chance you could have a look at Taiwan for 2023/2024? Could be China makes a move around then and that could be a source of activity for all concerned?