If this is springtime in the Arab world, then there are probably a lot of citizens in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria who would prefer winter. What started out as a promising process leading to democratic elections in some of the countries and the elimination of leaders perceived to be tyrants like Gaddafi (Libya), Mubarak (Egypt) and Ben Ali (Tunisia) has descended into chaos. Citizens in Syria, who thought the time for their Arab spring had come, have ended up on the losing side in a civil war, which has become infiltrated by anti-Western jihadists. With the US exit from Iraq, there are rising casualties as Sunni Muslim rebels fight the predominantly Shiite government, and with the coming NATO exit from Afghanistan, who knows how long the current leaders will survive Taliban resurgence?
At this point in history the pragmatic views of China and Russia, who believe in non-interference, seem to be vindicated – just look at how Libya has descended into groups of armed factions after the killing of Gaddafi. In Egypt, after just over one year of democratic rule by Mohamed Morsi and the Islamic Muslim Brotherhood, a majority of people became fed up and supported the current takeover by the military, which has resorted to the traditional tactics of repression. So whilst democratically minded people in the West support the aspirations of young people in the Middle East, who are tasting new freedoms via their smartphones and the internet, they grow alarmed at the hijacking of these aspirations in the name of extremism, the establishment of Sharia law, the repression of women and general sectarianism.
In the period from 1931 to 1934, Uranus in Aries made a series of squares to Pluto in Cancer. This was not a period of war, but it was a period of social upheaval. All over Europe right-wing organizations sprung up, and in Germany Hitler was sworn in as chancellor on 30th January 1933. Huge swathes of the population were seduced by nationalism and ideas of exclusiveness, especially in Germany where Hitler propounded the idea of the superiority of the Arian race.
84 years later, with Uranus returning to Aries, but with Pluto now in its opposite sign Capricorn, the series of Uranus/Pluto squares repeats itself. This time it seems that the West is at peace, although there is an upheaval in banking and the economy, whilst the world of Islam is undergoing an upheaval. It is possible that we may be witnessing a restructuring of the Middle East similar to that of Europe back in the 1930’s. Many Middle Eastern countries are artificial creations administered by the West at the end of World War I, when Turkey was defeated and the West started to administrate the disparate populations left in the vacuum.
In fact Syria and the Lebanon both became independent at the same time and date on January 1st 1944, when the exiled government of France gave up their colonial domination. Although there are later horoscopes for Syria which are relevant, not least the military revolution in 1970 when Bashar Assad’s father, Hafez, established the control of the Baath Party (note 1), the 1944 horoscope seems to reflect many events for both countries.
Syria (and Lebanon) 1st January 1944, 00.00 Damascus AS 13.19 Libra
Of course, as this horoscope starts on January 1st, it shares the same position of the sun as for many other significant horoscopes for the United Kingdom and the EU, as well as being in opposition to the US sun. Pluto is currently transiting the sun and Uranus transiting the Descendant, the first showing the threat and potential removal of Assad, and the second the arrival of revolutionaries fighting for the revolutionary cause. Note the extreme danger represented by the exact Mars/Uranus conjunction in Gemini and the 8th house, indicating the possibility of a divisive civil war – something that has already taken place in Lebanon from 1975 to 1990 with 120,000 casualties. The official count for the Syrian civil war was 120,000 casualties in September 2013… and there is no sign of a cessation of hostilities. Note also the conjunction of the North Node with Pluto, which also suggests some kind of universal destruction. Furthermore, with Sun square Neptune and the Moon in Pisces, there is a suggestion that the binding fabric of the state can easily be dissolved.
The horoscope for Assad’s coup in 1970 shows an amazingly strong full moon, with the sun conjoining Jupiter and Venus on the one side, and the moon conjoining Saturn on the other. This shows a really powerful leadership, which currently is being tested by Saturn’s transit through Scorpio. There is also a Mars/Uranus conjunction (in Libra) in this horoscope, and from 2012 to 2016 the transits of Uranus and Pluto will only exacerbate the revolutionary tendencies in the country. Bashar Assad has the moon in Pisces at the same position it was during his father’s coup, and of course the current transit of Neptune through Pisces is activating this.
One explanation for the current dissolution of established governments in Arabic countries can be found in one of the most important horoscopes of all time – the start of Islam, measured from the arrival of Mohamed in Medina on July 16th, 622. It is from this date that the Islamic calendar starts, and the horoscope below is for sunset of that day.
Muslim Era – July 16th 622, 18.44 Medina, Saudi Arabia. AS 25.26 Capricorn
There are several notable planetary patterns in this horoscope. Firstly there is a conjunction of Saturn and the North Node – a combination which is traditionally associated with Islam. This also occurs in the 1979 horoscope for Khomeini’s Iran, for Hussein’s 1979 Iraqi Republic, and for the 1922 Independence horoscope for Egypt. The conjunction of Saturn and Rahu happens every 22-23 years, the latest one at 8 degrees Scorpio in September 2013. Perhaps this represents the embrace of a rather autocratic style. It also conjures up the Kabaa, or black stone in Mecca – the direction in which all Muslims pray every day.
Another important feature of this horoscope for Islam is the position of Neptune at 5 degrees Virgo. Firstly it is opposed to Jupiter in Pisces – a very spiritual combination – and secondly it conjoins Uranus, keying in to the 172-year Uranus/Neptune conjunction cycle. The creation of Saudi Arabia as a unified country took place on September 23rd 1932, with the Sun at exactly 0.00 Libra, and Neptune is at 8 degrees Virgo in this horoscope, and in conjunction with Jupiter. The 1932 Saudi horoscope was also at the time of the Uranus/Pluto square of course, which makes this country very sensitive to the current series of squares between these two planets.
With Neptune currently opposing the Islam Era and Saudi Neptune perhaps what we are actually witnessing at the moment is the dissolution of many of the Islamic structures Middle Eastern nations are founded on. The 1979 horoscopes for the Iranian revolution and Iraqi Republic have Saturn at 8 degrees Virgo, which is another testimony to the dissolution of the rules and structures in their societies.
The attunement of Saudi Arabia with the horoscope for the 622 Muslim Era, reflects the central role this country plays as a place of pilgrimage for the 23% of the world’s population who are Muslim. Perhaps the answer to this period of restructuring for the Middle East lies in Saudi Arabia. Another significant horoscope for this country was when it gained liberation from Turkey in 1902:
Saudi Arabia (Capture of Riyadh) January 15th, 1902 3.45 LMT Riyadh AS: 10.40 SG
This chart does seem to reflect the character of Saudi Arabia, for the Sun conjoining a Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in Capricorn speaks of the deep conservatism and autocracy that characterizes the country. The 1932 Saudi unification horoscope took place one Saturn cycle later.
If this horoscope is the dominant chart for Saudi Arabia, then both Pluto and Saturn will conjoin this stellium in January 2020. In fact the conjunction is at 22.45 Capricorn right almost exactly on the Sun at 23.57. Saudi leadership, which traditionally is very autocratic, will be forced to make deep-seated changes at this time, and perhaps this will be the final reorganization of the Middle Eastern jigsaw puzzle.
A new era is coming. 2020 is the year of the Saturn/Jupiter conjunction at 0 degrees Aquarius – the beginning of a new 200-year conjunction cycle in Air signs after 200 years in Earth signs. With Pluto also entering Aquarius in 2024, the principles of this sign will predominate. That means a new era when populations are unified across borders as a brotherhood, which also means that autocratic governments and systems will not survive. This includes Western systems of government, banking and business, which worship the gods of materialism. We will be witness to the rule of the people, and this will initially bring revolution. Pluto in Aquarius is no messenger of peace, but it is a harbinger of equality.
Adrian Ross Duncan January 20, 2014
1. Assad’s coup and subsequent presidential regime took place at dawn on 13th November 1970.