The IS (Islamic State) flag on the truck which drove into a crowded New Orleans street at 3 am on January 1st killing 15 revellers and injuring dozens more is an ominous sign. If it proves to be more than a disturbed perpetrator, then it will give Trump a serious headache from the start. He may yodel on about immigrants but incoming refugees from South America are a totally different problem from an IS (Middle East) threat on his home turf.
The killings started around 3.15am in New Orleans unsurprisingly on the Mars opposition Pluto which often accompanies acts of brutality. It also gives a late Leo Midheaven conjunct Trump’s Mars.
The USA chart is on high alert at the moment anyway with the high-risk Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Mars still in effect and moving on to a worrisome SA Saturn square the Neptune through 2025.
There is no exact date for the foundation of IS, a transnational Salafi jihadist group, but there was a declaration of intent made on 29 June 2014 5pm Baghdad, Iraq. IS gained global prominence in 2014 when its militants conquered large territories in Iraq and Syria and by 2015, its self-declared caliphate ruled an area with a population of about 12 million. After a grinding conflict with American, Iraqi, and Kurdish forces, IS lost control of all its Middle Eastern territories by 2019, reverting to insurgency from remote hideouts while continuing its propaganda efforts.
The IS Declaration chart does show a ‘lucky’ break Solar Arc Uranus square Jupiter at the moment as well as a forceful SA Sun square Mars – with indications of a more confident push by 2028. The chart has a Cardinal Grand Cross so it is not short of initiative or the ability to reinvent itself.
The Trump/IS relationship chart which flags up deep dislike and suspicion will be rattled in the early months of the new administration and will be undercut by tr Saturn Neptune square the composite Sun, Venus, Mercury from before mid 2025 into 2026. Not indicative of conflict but a confusing situation causing concern.
The USA/IS relationship chart similarly does not look aggravated in terms of acts of violence but tr Saturn in Aries in 2026/27 will see a standoff with the tussle of the upper hand running into a stalemate.
The Paris Bataclan shooting of 13 November 2015 with 130 dead and 350 wounded was claimed as an IS atrocity. It happened with the North Node conjunct Mars at zero degrees Libra. This New Orleans killing occurred exactly half a cycle later with the North Node at zero Aries, trine/sextile the Mars opposition Pluto.
IS have not yet claimed responsibility and there are no neon lights flashing red on the charts but the undercurrents are concerning. Especially given the USA’s unwavering support in supplying arms to Israel. Not that IS will particularly care about the Palestinians but the Israeli carnage in Gaza can only inflame the mood in the Middle East and give hostages to fortune.
ADD ON: Shamsud-Din Jabbar, named as the New Orleans perpetrator, was born 26 October 1982 in Beaumont, Texas (source: MSN). This made him a Sun Venus conjunct in Scorpio with Jupiter also in Scorpio with a determined and bleak Saturn Pluto in Libra sextile Mars Neptune in Sagittarius.
If accurate, he had been through a turbulent emotional patch with tr Pluto square his Venus and at the moment his Sun/Venus midpoint – plus an intense Progressed Mars square his Pluto bringing acute frustrations and turbulent dark feelings.
The Vegas cybertruck bomber if it is Matthew Livelsberger, though his remains are yet to be identified, according to his passport was born 22 July 1987 in Colorado Springs, making him a final degree Sun Cancer with a determined, courageous (and desperate) Mars square Pluto. Tr Pluto was just finished two years of opposing his Sun which is a punishing process of forced change.
I am reminded often with these murder-suicides of Ernest Becker’s thought that what many fear is not death itself but death with insignificance. The prospect of a failed marriage or other existential crisis bringing feelings of intense inner worthlessness spark a last desperate need to gain attention by going out with a bang. The tragedy is that bystanders become the unwitting victim of a perverted howl for validation.
Transit Myers. post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, conjuncts his hatal Sun.
Here is Livelsberger’s rectified biwheel with 3 suicide markers aspecting key
points. On the angles we have Zeus, Pluto, Mars and Uranus conjuncting
his 8th House for explosiion. These are all transits.
https://ibb.co/fk0mqbG
It seems that a separation/divorce was the inciting incident in both New Orleans attack and Las Vegas apparent suicide.
Jabbar made postings where he contemplated between killing his family and “joining” ISIS – it is actually possible he wasn’t ever recruited formally, which would have made detecting the plan by traditional investigative means more difficult. This type of stochastic terrorism is definitely in rise, and I would argue Pluto in Aquarius will make it even more common place.
Las Vegas bomber Matthew Livelsberger was an active duty enlisted serviceman, who, according to his LinkedIn profile, was likely just a year or two from reaching 20 year of service and thus what I think would have made him eligible for full pension. It seems he was station in Germany and on leave when his wife and mother of an infant baby likely served divorce papers over the holiday period. He also was a staunch Trump supporter. I read his actions as the last “look what YOU made ME to do” to his ex-partner.
Therefore, I think these could also be seen as events triggered by the partnership aspect of Libra Solar Eclipse that I think I mentioned elsewhere as triggering crimes of “passion”.
Here is Jabbar’s rectified biwheel, natal inside and transits outside.
Notice transit Mars opp transit Pluto, both “At the Bends”, i.e. 90 to
the trans Nodes, signalling a tragic event.
All the angles are activated.
https://ibb.co/kMqQwsZ
Another senseless horror. Thanks for looking at the astrology Marjorie.
Here’s a chilling possibility I noticed – there’s a chart for the City of New Orleans, 17 February, 1805. It has Mars, 2 Leo, retrograde, only a degree off Mars 1 Leo Rx opposing Pluto 1 Aquarius now. I see the Moon in the ISIS chart is 2 Leo. There’s a fixed star in Ursa Major called Talitha at 2 Leo:
“According to Ptolemy, Ursa Major is like Mars. It is said to give a quiet, prudent, suspicious, mistrustful, self-controlled, patient nature, but an uneasy spirit and great anger and revengefulness when roused. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Zain and the 7th Tarot Trump “The Chariot.” [Robson, p.65.]” Constellations of Words
I thought the association of Ursa Major with The Chariot, or vehicle, was quite chilling. The USA Washington Inauguration chart, 1789, has Uranus, 1 Leo.
Worth noting, too, that Ursa Major also contains Alkaid at 26.56 Virgo. It is opposed by tr Neptune at present, and also opposed the Lunar Eclipse, 25 Pisces last autumn. Elsbeth Ebertin wrote:
“The last star in the Great Bear. Benetnash (Alkaid) means ‘hired mourners’. If the influence of this star is exercised, an influence of a Mars-Uranus-Saturn nature is present. Experience has shown that many human lives are to be mourned.”
The USA 1787 Federal Constitution chart has Sun, 24 Virgo.
Just to add: I begin to think the 1805 chart for New Orleans is a viable one.
The intense destruction that was Hurricane Katrina happened on 29 August, 2005. In April, 2005 there was a Solar Eclipse at 19 Aries, opposing the City of New Orleans ‘natal’ Uranus, 20 Libra. The Moon’s Nodes were 15 Aries/Libra, with the S Node aligned with New Orleans’ Saturn. In April 2024 there was also a Solar Eclipse at 19 Aries. Currently, at the time of the terrorist attack, Chiron is 19 Aries. Mars in the ISIS chart here is 17 Libra.
When Katrina struck, tr Uranus was in watery Pisces, 8 degrees. It was conjunct the New Orleans Pluto, also 8 Pisces. By strange ‘coincidence’ Isis Neptune is 7 degrees of sometimes religious Pisces.
All we can do is wish everyone there peace and healing, eventually. As Marjorie writes, ‘the undercurrents are concerning’.
Found this article which gives his birth data as born October 26, 1982,
in Beaumont, Texas.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/shamsud-din-jabbar-a-former-army-sergeant-who-converted-to-the-most-extreme-islam/ar-AA1wQu9r
This guy was born in Texas as a Christian. Served honorably. May be linked to cybertruck fire also caused by a veteran.
I work for the DoD so a lot of my coworkers are military veterans and I used to be surprised how many of them harbor anti-governmrnt sentiments all the while working for Uncle Sam and receiving a retirement check from him.
we have to be careful with posting opinions as this website is governed by laws of great britain. do I hv that correct, Marjorie?
That being said, cnn reports the driver of the exploding Tesla was active-duty Green Beret.
The infusion of elements hostile to the US appear no longer to be coming across “the southern border” or from Canada. What a headache. I wonder what my Marine Reserve officer cousin has to say about that… ;-(
@larryc,
I think that all of this terrorism from within is a manifestation of the U.S. progressed Mars being retrograde or projected inward
There is an odd psychological quirk about some countries, the USA in particular – which requires external enemies to promote internal cohesion. So there were decades of the USA v the Communist devils which morphed after the fall of the USSR into USA v Islamic fundamentalists.
If the Us against Them-outside mentality runs into a vacuum with no hated other to focus on then the anger turns inward. Which may well have coincided with Mars rx by progression.
It may be something to do with the US being a multicultural immigrant nation. The anti-government movement appears to be stronger in the US than in other western democracies. And the home-grown ‘militias’ are a definitely odd phenomenon.
I’ll be honest: I’ve become annoyed/irritated/overwhelmed with all the details about killing and whodunnit, who is better, who is best. No matter what platform I click, the scourge of hate/fighting/killing is painted. Israel/Gaza/Russia/Ukraine/Drompf/Musk. Perhaps it has to do with SAD…never have been happy here in Seattle in winters. But also the years-long hunt for meaningful employment at my age and facing an eviction notice next month.
I don’t care any longer.
So sorry Larry, looks like you are fed up to the back teeth with your lack of employment and the big problems that could happen, very understandable. Has anyone looked at your chart to maybe pinpoint timing that would be opportune for finding a new one?
I’ve come across and heard of many people who are steering away from news and discussions on many platforms. A quest for maintaining equilibrium. While one such family is the family of a son in Issaquah the rest are in New Zealand. Mid summer – but it keeps raining.
It’s possible to find healthy positive new shoots on the air waves. They just have to be hunted for. Can astrology show some right now Marjorie?
I hope some pop up on your job quest larryc
I can so identify with your frustration @larryc. Before I was 40, I was offered every job I applied for. After 40, zilch. I struggled and kept reinventing myself, looking for something new to do and finally accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to find a “real job” and became a freelance writer. It’s a precarious existence financially but gives me great satisfaction — when I have work.
I like Maggie’s suggestion about having someone knowledgeable look at your chart. Possibly tweaking your job search in a somewhat new direction, or transferring your well-developed skills in a new field might do the trick. Been there, done that — and I found that looking in new area created new energy for me. And yes, I did find new and different work using my same skill set.