In Afghanistan the largest British evacuation since the Second World War brought out 15,000 people, including 5,000 Britons and their families, plus more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their families. But Dominic Raab, UK Foreign Secretary, has been getting it in the neck for the negligence of the Foreign Office in not preparing escape routes in advance through neighbouring countries with claims that up to 9,000 people eligible for rescue would be left behind. His disinclination to return from holiday earlier also cost vital days.
Born 25 February 1974 in Bucks, he has a legal background, was a Brexit-ing Minister and supporter of Boris Johnson for leader, so shoe-horned in as an ally. He has a Sun Pisces square Neptune inconjunct Pluto – supersonic ambitions but none too practical. His Mars in bulldozer Taurus is in an opportunistic square to Jupiter, an enthusiastic trine to Venus in ambitious Capricorn, semi-sextile Saturn in Gemini and inconjunct Uranus – which is quite a scattergun combination. In Brussels he was dubbed ‘turnip’ for his negotiating strategy – a play on the Dutch word for a boring vegetable.
His life is due a total upheaval in 2022/23 with a career-loss-making tr Pluto square his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint and square his Uranus as well. Even before then he’s sagging through this year.
None of which is of earth-shattering importance except he joins the long list of questionable Boris cronies, who stay in high position despite egregious failings.
What intrigued me was the Foreign Office itself since over the years it has been singularly inept in a variety of situations.
The modern version was put in place on 17 October 1968, which gives it a troublesome Yod of an arrogant/pushy Jupiter Pluto in Virgo sextile a charming, slippery, well-meaning but ineffectual Venus Neptune inconjunct a hard-hearted Saturn in Aries. The Saturn opposes a Libra Sun and Mercury, all of which can be self-defeating unless it finds a backbone. At the moment the Solar Arc Saturn is square the Mars which makes sense of this ‘setback’ and the fall out is likely to continue for some months ahead.
The original Foreign Office, 27 March 1782 has an Aries Sun opposition Neptune and sextile Pluto; with Sun and Neptune square Saturn opposition Uranus Jupiter. So reasonable similarity to the modern chart.
Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian militant who shot Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 and was sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison, may be cleared for parole after 53 years inside. Two of the Kennedy children appealed on his behalf but it still has to be signed off by the California Governor Gavin Newsom. He said he did it at the time because of Kennedy’s support for Israel.
He was born 19 March 1944 2am in Jerusalem and has a 3rd house Sun Mercury in Pisces – oddly enough Pisces is a sign that often crops up with ISIS zealots – Neptune’s cold-blooded idealism. His Sun is also in a hard-edged, can-be-cruel square to Mars Saturn in Gemini.
Robert Kennedy’s Mars in Scorpio was conjunct SS’s Midheaven and Kennedy’s Pluto conjunct SS’s Descendant so it would be a hostile and combative interface.
When the shooting took place at midnight on 5th June 1968 in Los Angeles, Sirhan’s Mars Saturn (in traditional astrology associated with assassination) had moved to conjunct his Descendant and Kennedy’s Pluto; and tr Saturn in Aries was conjunct Sirhan’s Solar Arc Sun; with his Solar Arc Uranus square his Mercury (Sun). There was a potent transiting Yod at that point of tr Neptune sextile Uranus Pluto inconjunct Saturn, so it was a key trigger for Sirhan with his Solar Arc Sun feeling the full force of it.
His relationship chart with Robert Kennedy had a stressed composite New Moon opposition Pluto square Uranus – a disruptive and rebellious chemistry; with the signature ‘assassination’ composite Mars Saturn conjunct as well.
The USA at that point having been rattled by JFK’s death five years before was even more unnerved with tr Pluto moving to square the USA Mars and then conjunct the USA Neptune. In 1963 when JFK was killed, tr Uranus Pluto in Virgo was square the USA Uranus and sitting on the Mars/Uranus midpoint. The 1960s was a longish phase of panicky upsets courtesy of Uranus Pluto in Virgo.
Another significant point – Sirhan’s Pluto North Node in Leo is conjunct the USA ‘leadership’ North Node – which was the point badly hit by 9/11, so is an extremely sensitive marker where the USA’s pride and reputation are concerned.
Sirhan looks on a downward slide ahead no matter what happens with tr Neptune square his Saturn this year and then his Mars/Saturn midpoint and on to conjunct his Sun before mid decade.
Charlie Watts, long time drummer with the Rolling Stones, has died. The quietest, least riotous of the group, he was married to the same wife for nearly six decades, disliked fame and the whole rock n’ roll notoriety and, apart from one lapse in the 1980s, steered clear of drugs.
Born 2 June 1941, he was a Sun Gemini square Mars in Pisces with Jupiter and Venus also in Gemini. He had Saturn Uranus in Taurus trine Neptune and maybe a Virgo Moon. Gemini is a common sign amongst pop singers/stars though he really preferred jazz. Uranus trine Neptune of the generation produced many fine musicians and singing talents.
His wife Shirley, 11 September 1938 (net sources) has a hard-working Mars in Virgo as well as Sun Neptune in Virgo with a self-reliant Saturn in Aries. In recent years the Watts had bred Arab horses at their Devon farm which fits her Virgo planets. Her Jupiter in Aquarius was square his Saturn Uranus so she would be a motivator and encourager when he got down.
Their relationship chart has a close and possessive composite Sun Pluto Mercury in a chained-together square to Saturn. With a enthusiastic Jupiter sextile Mars (Moon); a needs-space Venus square Uranus; and an intense Mercury Pluto Sun sextile Mars. Evidently if he was home for too long away from touring she became irritated so it was a bond suited to separations.
His relationship with Mick Jagger had its pluses and minuses with Mick’s powerhouse Sun Jupiter Pluto in Leo conjunct Charlie’s Pluto and Mick’s wayward Uranus conjunct Charlie’s Sun. But the relationship chart had a high-energy and successful composite Sun Jupiter square Mars. With undertones of aggravation and tensions from Mars trine Pluto.
Aaliyah, the young super-successful singer who met a tragically early death at 22 in a plane crash, is in the news with a 25 year old album – One In A Million – now on release on streaming services for the first time. And for less edifying reasons being named in R Kelly’s sex trafficking trial as having married him on forged documents when she was 15 and he was 27. Her parents whisked her out of the liaison a year later.
Born 16 January 1979 in Brooklyn at 8.43 am (unverified), she did have a heavy chart with a Sun Mars in Capricorn in the 12th square an 8th house Pluto. Her Saturn in Virgo was in a creative square to Neptune.
Kelly is also an ambitious Sun Capricorn square Mars and both share(d) Jupiter in Leo in aspect to Venus for PR charms.
Their relationship chart had a passionate composite Venus square Pluto and a needs-space, differing-agendas Sun square Uranus – hot while it lasted but never designed for the long haul.
If her birth time is sound, then his controlling Pluto Uranus fell in her 7th house of close relationships so he’d be a disturbing influence. Worse his Mars was conjunct her Pluto for a damaging and risky connection. His Pluto was also conjunct her North Node as he directed her career and took her over.
When she was killed in the Bahamas on an over crowded small plane with a dodgy pilot, the tr Saturn opposition tr Pluto was in a direct collision with her Solar Arc Uranus.
R Kelly, in court at the moment denying everything, looks bullish ahead with tr Pluto picking up two of his Jupiter midpoints. But tr Neptune is dissolving the ground he stands on this year and more so in 2022/23.
What a fated life. Her victim 12th harmonic was strongly marked; as were her self-defeating and self-destructive 10th Harmonic and 16H.
“What you see is what you get” applies to some, but Shakespeare wasn’t wrong in his estimation that “ all that glisters is not gold — gilded tombs do worms enfold.” The gulf between the public image and the private reality is always most marked with political or celebrity figures, who sell a seductive slice of their personality for mass consumption and bury the rest and in a few cases create an entirely false persona.
Before elections when feelings are running high it is all too easy to become misled and ignore part of the birth chart that does not fit the brand that is being marketed.
I was always concerned about Barack Obama’s Neptune – in Scorpio square Mercury and Sun and Jupiter. Compassionate, idealistic, a dream-maker certainly – but practical? decisive? having the necessary ruthlessness to push through essential but painful policies – hmm.
David Cameron – all smarm and bonhomie with a charming Libra Sun Venus and Moon Jupiter in Leo. But what did he do with that wayward 12th house Uranus Pluto? It was always going to emerge to catch him out.
Tony Blair dazzled the UK with his boyish enthusiasm in 1997 – Mars Jupiter on a Gemini Ascendant – and for a few months the country was energized. Then the unbudgeable, control freak started to emerge – Taurus Sun square Pluto opposition Moon.
Joe Biden won the election on promises of compassion and empathy – and he does have a generous-spirited Jupiter in Cancer trine a Sun Venus conjunction. But he’s also got Mars in Scorpio square Pluto which is anything but touchy feely – can be ruthless, brutal, hard-hearted and loathes taking advice which will feel like being manipulated to him. He has an extraordinarily Fixed, obstinate to the nth degree temperament.
The Telegraph in talking to people close to the administration points to a picture of a stubborn-headed and defensive president and a staff too afraid to question him. One said, “the downside of discipline is if you’re running things like an autocracy, and you broker no dissent internally.”
His Inauguration chart does have dictatorial Pluto on the midheaven – which again was mystifying and did not sound like a Democratic president. But the astrology will out one way or the other. This administration chart also has Uranus square Saturn, which he has conjunct in his natal chart – and that combination can be autocratic, not practising what it preaches.
According to reports Biden is good at shutting out ‘media noise’ which can be useful since news outlets can get worked up to hysterical levels and then it all blows over. But it can also mean his antennae are blunted for issues which will damage his reputation.
It’s worth keeping a lookout over the next month since the Progressed Moon on the Term chart with conjunct the 12th house Mars Uranus which does look exceptionally rattled. And Biden’s Pluto square Mars is catching the tr Saturn hard aspects over the next few months and tr Uranus will oppose the Mars for the final time in this November and again in early 2022.
PS. This post is about the astrology not the politics so I’d be grateful if you would leave out party political comments.
Add On: Boris Johnson has an appealing Libra Ascendant for his birth chart set to New York (where he was born) and a rousing Sagittarius Ascendant set for London. He’s also got a charm-offensive Sun Venus in Gemini and spell/fantasy weaving Jupiter Neptune – all of which obscures the streak of nastiness, hostility and power-driven which dominates his chart – from Mars in Gemini square Pluto Uranus and Saturn.
His relationship with Biden is inherently hostile and tense as well as suspicious with a composite Mars Pluto trine Saturn and Saturn opposition Neptune. And that can’t be fixed.
Biden and the USA:
Joe Biden has his Jupiter conjunct the USA Mercury opposition Pluto so he will present as an encourager and motivator for the country. His Midheaven is conjunct the USA Neptune which will foster a more compassionate tone though it also squares the USA Mars so will provoke arguments as well. Though he isn’t as heat-provoking as Trump whose Sun was conjunct the USA Mars with his Moon in opposition and his Saturn was conjunct the USA Mercury for a downbeat connection.
What may be most important is Biden’s Pluto conjunct the USA ‘leadership’ Leo North Node which should help to shape the USA’s path ahead and bring about a transformation. Trump’s Pluto is also conjunct the US Node though not as closely and he clearly had a Plutonic effect on the USA – Pluto being destructive and power hungry as well as an influencer.
Biden’s relationship chart with the USA has a friendly composite Sun Venus Mercury sextile Jupiter; but also an explosive composite Mars square Uranus and sextile Pluto – part of this latter will help in pushing through significant policies of change but will also lead to disruptive discussions and differences.
Add On: Kamala Harris is not a great fit with the USA. Her Libra Sun opposition Aries Moon sit in square to the US Pluto opposition Mercury. And the relationship chart has a disruptive, explosive Mars Uranus square Neptune and trine Pluto which is being seriously rattled over this year and next by tr Pluto in opposition to the Mars and Uranus and tr Neptune square the Saturn this year. She won’t inspire confidence.
Her astrocartography shows her Sun shines brightest in Bejing being on the Midheaven there. Afghanistan is a no no with Saturn on her IC. Iran/Iraq are combat zones with her Mars on the Midheaven. Pakistan and India are troubled areas for her.
For previous post with more detail on Harris see July 3 2021
Haiti has been hit by a 7.2 magnitude quake which has killed at least 304 people [now reckoned nearer 1300 dead, with 30,000 homeless), injuring more than 1,800 and toppled buildings including churches and hotels. The country is still recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake and the assassination of the president a few weeks back.
Haiti has a complicated and stressed chart with an ‘unlucky’ Sun Mars in Capricorn square Saturn; and a confident Pluto trine Jupiter sextile Sun Mars – so equal parts crises-attracting and good fortune.
When the 2010 quake occurred killing somewhere around 150,000 people or more, tr Pluto in Capricorn was exactly conjunct the Haiti Mars and exactly square the Saturn – so pulling out all the accident-prone, destructive side of the chart. The Solar Arc South Node was also conjunct the Haiti Pluto, hinting at the collapsing power of Pluto perhaps?
At the moment the Solar Arc Pluto has moved to square the Sun this year for a considerable road-block on progress. But the Eclipses this year are not as negative as they were in 20210 – with Mars in the IC for the Lunar and Neptune on the IC for the Solar. This year admittedly both recent Eclipses had the brutal, damaging Mars opposition Pluto (across the 8th/2nd Koch houses) and Neptune in the 10th – but not quite as upsetting as 2010.
The worst mass shooting in the UK for a decade which left five dead including a young child and the killer’s mother, was fuelled by the misogynist Incel philosophy. Involuntary celibate men are members of hostile online groups who blame women for their sexual failings, hold nihilistic views of life (black pill) – and most hate their mothers. Just before he self-destructed, Jake Davison said on line that he was “bitter and jealous” and that women “treat men with zero respect or even view them as human beings”.
There’s no birth date for Davison but skipping back through the recent high profile Incel mass shooters several Astro-aspects stand out.
Of the seven I looked at 4 are Libra, two Leo and one Scorpio. The majority of them have hard Saturn aspects to their Sun, which suggests damaged self-esteem, a sense they are not good enough. Three out of the seven have Mars in Leo which may be less Incel and more they want to make a splash that attracts attention – and all of them have a sprinkling of other planets in Leo.
There are no birth times unfortunately so Moon aspects are not obvious but don’t seem to be that relevant. Though there are three with possible Moon Pluto hard aspects, a sign of the smothering, over controlling mother.
Libra and Saturn appear to be the standout features.
Wild and wayout are never descriptions applied to Tom Hanks, known as the nicest and sanest man in Hollywood. But his second youngest child, Chet, a wayward provocateur, rapper and anti-vaxx conspiracy theorist, with a cocaine problem and no brakes on his mouth, could not be more different.
Chet was born 4 August 1990 in the middle of the chaotic, wilful, can-be-inspired or the opposite, triple conjunction of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn in Capricorn with a Capricorn Moon. He also has an enraged Mars in Taurus opposition Pluto square his Leo Sun so he will harbour a good deal of anger and frustration.
His Capricorn planets oppose Tom Hanks’ Cancer Sun so it isn’t an easy interface for father though Chet’s Venus in Cancer is conjunct. Chet’s Sun is conjunct Tom’s Leo Moon which is a great connection but not with a Mars opposition Pluto getting in the way. Chet’s seeking-a-cause Aquarius North Node is opposition his father’s Moon and his own Sun, which may point to him trying to mark out his own territory, albeit in a shambolic way.
Tom Hanks said it was trickier for the younger children since they arrived after he had become a star so they had to cope with all the trappings. There’s clearly a good deal of affection between them – with Moon Sun and Sun Venus crossovers. Though there’s also an overdose of defiant, outrageous and rebellious energy determined to rock the boat. In the relationship chart this emerges as an explosive composite Mars opposition Uranus which goes along with starkly different agendas and an unwillingness to compromise.
Pity Chet does not have a birth time since it would help.
The Taliban have over run city after city in Afghanistan with a wholesale collapse of the national security forces and are now within 30 miles of Kabul. The entire country is expected to be under their brutal control within months, if not sooner, which regrettably is reflected in the astrology – see previous post July 6 2021.
The scramble to airlift out embassy staff and vulnerable Afghans who helped the allies has drawn comparisons with the Fall of Saigon in late April 1975 which brought a humiliating end to the failed war in Vietnam.
Both wars were launched on overly impetuous Jupiter aspects – high in confidence, low on realism, slapdash.
The Vietnam War in 1955 launched with Jupiter Pluto conjunct in Leo squaring onto Saturn Venus in Scorpio. Jupiter Pluto can be fanatical and self-assured, as well as arrogant, but is blocked here by reality-check Saturn.
The Afghan War in 2001 was kicked off as a response to 9/11 with a crusading, overly zealous and self-justifying Jupiter opposition Mars, with Jupiter inconjunct Pluto. Saturn was then in a tough tough opposition to Pluto and semi-sextile Jupiter. So again a similar feel of too much Jupiter in conflict with Saturn.
When the Vietnam War ended in a shambles tr Saturn was conjunct the USA 1776 Cancer Sun exactly and square the US Saturn.
This year as the Afghanistan withdrawal leaves chaos in its wake tr Neptune is opposing the USA Neptune and tugging on the failure-ridden square to the US Mars; with tr Saturn conjunct the US South Node, exact this October when the extent of the collapse will be even more starkly obvious. 9/11 occurred with tr Neptune was conjunct the USA South Node which always seemed to me the most significant aspect – a devastating blow to America’s ‘leadership’ Leo North Node.
There was never going to be an easy answer to Afghanistan and much of the blame attaches to the early decisions of GWB and cronies, but it could turn out to be a blot on Joe Biden’s copy book. Relocating his chart to Kabul puts Saturn on his Ascendant as well as Uranus.
Add On: The Taliban was spawned out of the chaos of the Soviet-Afghan War, proclaiming a Caliphate on April 3rd or 4th 1996 and in power between 1996 and 2001. The proclamation date gives a confident Sun square Jupiter with an emotionally intense Venus opposition Pluto and a cruel/military Mars in Aries conjunct Saturn, in a ruthless trine to Pluto and in an opportunistic, crusading square to Jupiter. Mars Jupiter often uses religious justifications for aggressive actions. The brutal Mars trine Pluto is further emphasised being in a mini-Grand Trine, sextile Uranus.
It’s not that dissimilar to the Al Quaeda chart of 11 August 1988 with a Leo Sun trine Mars in Aries and square Pluto. With Pluto trine Venus, inconjunct Mars and sextile Neptune. Both have Mars at almost the same degree in Aries.
The Taliban chart clashes badly with the Afghan country chart with the Taliban Neptune opposition the Afghan Mars, undermining the country’s assertive drive, causing panic; and the Taliban’s ferocious Mars is square the Afghan Pluto for a destructive, enraging connection.
The relationship chart is bleak with a chained-together and resenting it composite Sun Saturn square Pluto. It is under disillusioning and disappointing Neptune influences this year into early 2022; with feelings running high in 2022/23 with tr Pluto opposition the composite Venus.
Where the Taliban chart runs into trouble, if the start date holds good, will be 2023 when there is a Solar Arc Pluto square the Saturn for deprivation, hardship, financial setbacks. Though even before then with tr Pluto conjunct the Taliban Neptune from early 2022 to late 2023, there will be widespread confusion.
The Afghanistan chart looks road-blocked and threatened in 2022/23 with tr Pluto opposition the Mars but there could be changes come 2024 as tr Uranus square the Sun and tr Pluto approaches a confident-push square to the Jupiter in 2025, though before then picking up the uplifting Jupiter midpoints from 2023 onwards. So paralysis for a couple of years and then maybe more hopeful.
