Iraq, under Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, is still trying to sort out the chaos following on from the botched aftermath of the 2003 US attack; get economic and political reforms in place; root out corruption, especially in the army; and fight off ISIL. After al-Abadi’s March Washington meet with Donald Trump he left heartened by promises of increased support. US senators said there needs to be more power-sharing with the Sunnis and progress in resolving tensions with the Kurds, with both of which al-Abadi seems to be making some headway against resistance.
His term started on 8 September 2014 with a Virgo Sun in a practical sextile to Saturn in Scorpio; with Saturn in a military/ultra-determined conjunction to Mars. This year and next tr Pluto sextiles the Saturn for an uphill struggle; with disappointments and weakness in 2018/19 with tr Neptune opposition the Sun.
His birthdate (unverified) is 25 April 1952 which would make him a Sun Taurus opposition Mars in Scorpio, with Mars square Pluto – so not short of grit or courage; with a reformist Uranus in Cancer square Saturn opposition Mercury in Aries. If accurate, this year and next look confused with tr Pluto square his Neptune; and jolted in 2019.
The Iraq, 23 Aug 1921 6am Baghdad, chart looks emotionally intense and wound up in 2017/18 with tr Pluto opposition Venus; and an unsettled population with tr Uranus square the Solar Arc Moon. This August’s Leo Solar Eclipse is also conjunct the Iraq Sun Mercury which may flare up a crisis. It’s a time at a cross roads for the country where significant decisions will be made which will have an impact on the road ahead. To date al-Abadi has been leaning towards Putin and Russia for help in quelling ISIL, but that relationship looks less settled ahead. As indeed does the USA/Iraq relationship which looks blocked and angry in Sept/Oct this year and heavily disrupted by 2019/2020.
Where there may be more confidence economically and otherwise is by 2019 when tr Pluto is trine the Iraq Jupiter for two years, though it’ll be one step forwards one step backwards since tr Pluto then moves on to trine the Iraq Saturn in 2020/21.