U.S. Politics
The China Syndrome

It would be naive to assume that either the United States or China were simply villans that had to be vanquished. Depending on your take on U.S. politics and foreign relations, you might be tempted to square off on one side or the other. In point of fact, both the USA and China have a great deal more at stake than who comes out of the April 1 Air Collision crisis as the "victor." Dubya's administration must find the key that unlocks China's paranoid fear of the West by applying the most delicate diplomacy in hopes of forging a workable alliance with the Great Dragon.

One of the main criticisms of how the Air Collision was initially handled by the administration was its initial hard line saber rattling. Anyone with half a brain already knows that China's cultural history is one based upon rituals of order, courtesy and protocol. After all, this is the nation that spawned Lao Tzu, Confucius and the I Ching. From the mystery of the "the 10,000 things" to the order inherent in Confucius's vision of heaven dictating the model for government on earth, it should be apparent that China's identity is preserved by adherence to cultural rules of conduct allowing for the widest "face-saving" latitude.² (28 Libra Ascendant).

Saturn (13 Virgo) Sesquiquadrate Moon (29 Capricorn)

China "admits" to holding 3,000 political prisoners (and don't forget the millions she slaughtered during Mao's era), but seems unable to turn her eyes inward and take stock. The USA, whether rightly or wrongly, points the finger at China's violation of human rights protocols: The Christian Right abhors China's abortion policy and China abhors the USA's "bully" presence in Asia. The USA is appalled at a nation that denys its citizens free speech while China views American imperialism as repugnant.

The frustration behind engaging China in any meanful discourse has its underpinnings in China's "humiliation" at having been conquered by the Manchus, Japan, Britain and the West. China, having floundered for over 100 years, is terrified of any real or perceived threat to its independence. A tendency towards overcompensations such as China's denials of its own cruelty and reiterated demands for apologies when she feels "hurt," can be noted in her chart:

China has no oppositions which would allow her to highlight the differences between "self and "other." The world and the individual are merged as one concept.

[Dubya has no oppositions, either. His lack of awareness has enraged not only China, but Western Europe and the United States!]

China's psychological "Great Wall" is found in her loaded 12th house: Sun, Mercury and Neptune (in accidental dignity). The asteroid Ceres and the South Node are also in the 12th house. Ceres and the South Node seem to refer to China's 3,000 year feudalistic/agrarian past.

Neptune In The 12th/The World-Individual As One Concept

". . . there is no reason to believe that China will become democratic in the near future. . . . it would be contrary to the Chinese political culture. China, in its entire three-thousand year history, has developed no concept of limited government, or protections of individual rights, or independence for the judiciary and the media. It has never in its history operated on any notion of the consent of the governed or the will of the majority." [Bernstein-Munro, "The Coming Conflict With China"]

USA Sun 13 Cancer [conjunct China's Uranus] square China Sun 7 Libra

". . . the United States for at least one hundred years has pursued a consistent goal in Asia, which is to prevent any single country from dominating that region. Since this is precisely what China seeks to do, its goals and American interests are bound to collide." [Bernstein-Munro, "The Coming Conflict With China"]

Growing Conflict

China's Saturn (13 Virgo) lies at the midpoint between the USA's Sun in square to China's Mercury. Dubya's natal Saturn (26 Cancer) line runs right through Jakarta, Singapore, Taiwan and Korea! (Astrocartography Map). Dubya's Saturn opposes China's Jupiter-Moon Conjunction in Capricorn, which in turn "contains" the USA's natal Pluto (27 Capricorn). These cross-aspects, in concert with China's natal Saturn-Moon sesquaquadrate, give rise to two nations who are defensive with each other and secretly fear they are threatened by the other. This mix, inclusive of Taiwan (the prize), may lead to another Bay of Pigs scenario.

Mars Conjunct Pluto Square Venus on Serpentis

China's 10th house Mars-Pluto in square to Venus in the first house testify to the double-edged sword of ruthless power. This aspect can work in two ways:

One is conquered by outside forces which are the psychological mirror of one's own internal ruthlessness.

One plays the role of conqueror by using one's ruthless forces externally for the purpose of violating/controlling another.

The balance, of course, is to marshal the will and channel it into constructive reform where the more primitive passions are transmuted into useful social, political and economic policy. The Mars-Pluto conjunction, often referred to as "the atomic power house" is, by far, the most powerful aspect an individual or nation can have. This conjunction requires the entity to face its brutal depths (survival on a cellular level) and make it conscious. In doing so, the choice as to how the power will be used becomes a conscious moral-ethical dilemma. One can use this amoral energy either constructively or destructively.

China has played both roles and now opts for the compensatory role of "conqueror" in order to even the score of the past 100 years.

Dubya's Inauguration chart's Ascendant (13 Taurus) squares China's Mars-Pluto conjunction and opposes its Venus on Serpentis. The transiting nodes (North 15 Cancer/South 15 Capricorn) square China's natal Nodes (North 16 Aries/South 16 Libra), thus setting up a nodal grand square of a shared "fate": Dubya, Rumsfeld, Rice & Powell vs. China's current government. China's Sun in the 12th (hidden identity/agenda) is in wide square to Inauguration Nodes, thus further exacerbating the current administration's tendency to take a hard line in negotiations with China.

Venus, on the fixed star Serpentis (the coiled serpent) is delineated by Anne Wright as follows:

"Influence of the constellation: It is said to give wisdom, craft, deceit, malice, a feeble will and danger of poison. (Robson).

In the Neck of the Serpent, Unukalhai shows its properties as a Martian force combined with Saturn and is often really dangerous and destructive.

General influence of the star: According to Ptolemy it is of the nature of Saturn and Mars; to Simmonite, of Saturn and Venus; to Pearce, of Saturn, Venus and Mars; and, to Alvidas, of Mars and Saturn in opposition to Venus. It gives immorality, accidents, violence and danger of poison. (Robson).

With Venus: Enmity, jealousy of own sex, bad for domestic matters, favorable for gain, secret death probably by poison. (Robson). "

Serpentis is also referred to as "the spinning degree." In other words, the mind coils and recoils upon the same thoughts. The repetition drives one into fueling a blood-thirsty resentment with the belief that one has been wronged. The extreme result, in a chart such as China's (sans oppositions) is doubly fraught with fear, paranoia, and a penchant for feeling victimized (Neptune in accidental dignity in the 12th house). Since China's natal Neptune conjoins the USA's "rule of law" Saturn in its 10th house (Declaration of Independence chart), this combination fuels depression along with a sense of being "imprisoned" or unfairly maligned (Saturn).

China's Progressions

China's progressed Sun at 28 Scorpio falls in the USA's 12th house of self-undoing. It is in the 12th house that a nation or individual has the most difficulty bringing to consciousness the true nature and intent of contents "hidden" in the unconscious. It is here that a nation is most apt to "shoot itself in the foot" (Pisces is the natural 12th house), as both individuals and nations are loathe to "see" anything that is less than complimentary. China would prefer to see itself as 28 Libra rising. The USA prefers to see itself as 12 Sagittarius rising. Both want to see themselves as Venus-Jupiter, respectively. China may be "Venus" unconsciously -- 0 Libra is its 12th cusp (Venus is also associated with war, particularly when retrograde), but the USA is Mars-Pluto (Scorpio on the 12th cusp), thus unconsciously activating China's Mars-Pluto conjunction in its 10th house Leo! Further, China's Serpentis-Venus falls in the USA's 12th. From that point of view, the USA's "imperialism" trips off China's ruthless nationalism.

A stalemate may be the best we can hope for overall with China at this juncture. China's progressed Mars is conjoined to its natal Saturn, the midpoint between the natal square of the USA's Sun to China's Mercury. Transiting Pluto retrograde has been hovering on China's progressed Moon (15 Sagittarius) for some time now. Transiting Mars will hit China's progressed Moon a total of three times this year by virtue of its retrograde status. Venus retrograde has impacted China's natal nodes and will do so again upon her direct motion. Venus's reconjunction to China's nodes sets off the cross-aspected grand nodal square link between the USA and China. This year's transiting Saturn will oppose transiting Pluto impacting China's 2nd/8th house axis and the USA's 1st/7th axis. Issues of power, wealth and identity, as well as truth in media and military intervention will come to the fore.

Today's Full Moon (18 Libra) is in the degree of China's progressed Saturn (18 Virgo) and progressed Pluto (18 Leo retrograde). As the Moon begins to wane, perhaps the power behind this energy (in square to the USA's Sun) will lead to cooler heads and "apologies" on both sides.

The sabian symbol for this full moon is: "A gang of robbers in hiding." Keynote: "Protest against disharmonic social privilege." According to Marsha Stark, who has written a column for The Mountain Astrologer on today's lunation, "This fits the description of Pluto--Pallas opposition Jupiter [Full Moon chart aspects] -- mass protests and possible violence and terrorism."

As we saw in the Inauguration chart in January, the next four years will be rife with conflict. In less than 100 days, Dubya (who has zero interest in anything outside of Texas and baseball) faces his first foreign policy crisis. It isn't so much that Dubya relies upon others to sort these matters out. More to the point is the fact that Dubya lacks the sophistication and intelligence to second guess his advisors and adequately judge whether the advice he receives is truly in the interest of the USA's safety. Two past Republican presidents, Nixon and Reagan, relied too heavily upon others to make critical decisions for them. In Nixon's case it resulted in his resigning the presidency to avoid impeachment. In Reagan's he missed impeachment over Iran-Contra by a single hair.

1. Gain sovereignty and control over Taiwan;
   

2. Expand its military presence and block Taiwan's ability to defend herself from Chinese take-over;
   
3. Induce withdrawal of remaining American military forces in Asia;
   
4. Exception: U.S. remains as defensive force in Japan;
   
5. Keep Japan "in a state of permanent strategic subordination";
   
6. Extend its power to control The South China and East China Seas -- blocking Japan's oil exploration rights and Thailand's rights to invite visiting U.S Navy vessels to its ports; and
   
7. To become Asia's super power.³
   
   

1. China sold nuclear weapons technology to Pakistan (current home of Osama bin Laden);
   

2. Sold missles to Iran, still a U.S. enemy;
   
3. Gives moral/material support to countries at odds with USA: Iran, the Sudan and Nigeria;
   
4. Issued diplomatic warnings to China's neighbors: take "our side" against any interests/powers like the USA;
   
5. China is a nuclear power, having sold nuclear technology to Algeria, and has hinted of weapons aimed at USA, notably the City of Los Angeles, California; and
   
6. Replace the USA as the preeminent power in Asia by preventing Japan and the USA from containing China.(4)