Astro Portrait of a Nice Guy who became a World Bully

by Zachary Casper

I view astrology as one of many tools inherited from the esoteric tradition of the Ancient Wisdom, which was given to humanity as a divine or semi-divine gift in order for us to derive some understanding of ourselves and the world. While I don't believe that astrology alone can provide all the answers to all our questions about why we are the unique characters and personalities that we are, I do think that it can offer some tremendous insights to us. And some few astrologers of exceptional skill can even peer into the future and make valid predictions about personal and world events that will come to pass.

In this article, I wish to concentrate on the horoscope of the current American President, George W. Bush, in order to gain some understanding of why certain events are shaping up as they are. President Bush's horoscope is well known in astrological circles, and yet to date, I am not aware of any astro analysis of this chart that fully explains the circumstances of his personality and especially of his inner character. Of course I cannot claim that the following analysis is the last word in his chart interpretation, either. But it does appear to me that astrologers can approach his chart from at least a few different perspectives, and working on these different approaches, come out with very different conclusions about the man, his strengths, weaknesses, and hidden potentials. Differing opinions on the charts of American presidents are nothing new, of course. One of the early books on astrology that I read had the author analysing the chart of Richard Nixon and concluding that he was really a nice guy who was actually quite progressive in his thinking and would end up doing a lot of good for the country! It is indeed difficult to approach the horoscope of any leader in a balanced way, without any pre-judgement, prejudice or the common emotional baggage that we usually carry about politicians. This is indeed a serious trap and pitfall lurking at the very start of any such chart interpretation, and I hope that I have been able to avoid this. I should admit, therefore, that I had hoped that Al Gore would win the election of 2000 - but I knew beforehand that there were serious astrological reasons why he would not - and during the confusion that followed the November vote, had hoped that common sense and good judgement would prevail (which I don't think was the case!). So if there are any of my pre-judgements about Bush that might hinder a true analysis of his chart, I declare them here and now.

 

HOROSCOPE OF GEORGE W. BUSH

 

Powerful stelliums in the horoscope

What are the most salient features of this chart? Well I think that first of all, we would have to focus on his very strong first house, containing a stellium (cluster or concentration) of three planets in Leo just below the Leo Ascendant. Two of these planets, Mercury and Venus, traditionally give intelligence and an inquiring mind, as well as social skills and an appreciation of the more refined elements of life such as art and culture. It is easy to see just from the placement of Mercury and Venus alone that President Bush is a good conversationalist and someone whose presence and company people of either sex would enjoy. The position of Pluto is a bit problematic, but we will return to that later. We would also have to notice another planetary stellium which also includes Chiron, located in Libra and the third house. The conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter in Libra further reinforce the Mr. Nice Guy image of the President; I do indeed think that people from many walks of life and from different political backgrounds would enjoy conversing with him. He does radiate a certain charm. Most politicians and would-be world leaders would give their eye teeth to be born with a Moon/Jupiter conjunction in any sign, let alone in Libra, a sign of balance, refinement, social skills and appreciation of the arts. There is no question that Bush has very good personal karma, to be born into such a wealthy and prominent American family that has provided political leadership to the nation for the past three generations. The Leo and Libra stelliums are great blessings to have and best of all, they are interlocking in a positive way. There are strong sextile (60 degree angle) aspects between the planets in these stelliums (for instance, the beautiful Venus / Jupiter sextile) that are most beneficial for social skills and overall success in life. And if we look at the chart shape as a whole, we can see it is a Wedge, a chart shape of great power and direction. Wedge chart shape people are intense and do not play around in the pursuit of their goals (Benito Mussolini, for instance, also had such a chart shape). The planets on either end of the wedge, Uranus in Gemini and Jupiter in Libra, are even forming a beautiful trine aspect between themselves, which according to traditional astrology gives spiritual and religious expansion to the consciousness, combined with an interest in the unusual or esoteric studies! This is truly a powerful and benefic horoscope, no doubt about it.

The problem of the twelfth house

I think it fair to state that horoscopes with a strong 12th house emphasis are probably the most difficult for most astrologers to interpret correctly. This is because the 12th house is such an elusive factor in most charts. According to astrological tradition, this house has a symbolic correspondence with the 12th sign, Pisces, a sign which normally displays a considerable duality or contrariness. Piscean natives, as well as 12th house persons, seem to "slip through your fingers", as just when you think you understand what they represent, they change or mutate once again…. The old astrology books speak of this part of the chart as the "house of self-undoing", or the "house of secrets". It was supposed that if planets are found in house twelve in a chart, then the person concerned would have to experience either an involuntary withdrawal from society and normal life and resign themselves to be put away in an institution of some sort (hospitals, mental institutions and jails were a favourite in the older books), or if they were really hip, make it easier for all concerned and simply slip into a monastery, nunnery, or cave retreat where they could deal with their 12th house problems in a suitable place (which meant far away from the rest of humanity!). Also, persons with a strong 12th house might well possess psychic or intuitive gifts or talents which gave them strange and unsettling access to personal information that was normally denied to strangers.

Of course, modern astrologers really no longer subscribe to such views. Most astrologers view the 12th house through the lens of contemporary psychology, as a sort of repository of the unconscious / subconscious elements of the personality and character. The elements in this vast and normally unexplored inner landscape thus have to be dealt with by the person concerned either through personal therapy, religious aspiration and disciplines, or the expression of a sort of ethereal, other-worldly creativity. Excluding criminals and mental or emotional retards, at worst, this turns out to be the house of the beautiful and mystic dreamer who accomplishes nothing in the "real" world. For persons who are consciously trying to develop in a spiritual sense, planets in the 12th house can even be a real blessing as it gives them the motivation to turn inwards and seek the inner light of soul and spirit.

But what happens when we find a potent 12th house in the horoscope of the most powerful man in the world, the President of the United States? And Bush's 12th is certainly very strong, with both the Sun and Saturn placed here. Is he truly a visionary; perhaps a closet mystic; or an inspired dreamer about the glorious future of his nation and its place in the world? I admit that when I first looked at the chart, I had a bit of a hard time figuring out the meaning and true implications of his Sun and Saturn - two such important planets in any chart! - placed here. At first, a very odd image struck me. I thought of the archetype of the medieval monk of Europe, ensconced in his cell in his monastery and in his spare time, spending lots of time in the library. And from a certain astrological view or perspective, this archetype actually makes sense, believe it or not. Certainly the 12th house is normally associated with seclusion and withdrawal from the world on the part of the individual concerned. And other planets could in certain circumstances support this rather odd archetype. For instance, there is the very strong position of Mercury in Bush's chart, rising just 2½ degrees below the Ascendant. Surely such a position would make one eager and willing, if not absolutely thirsting, to acquire as much knowledge and information about everything in the world as possible, would it not? And then there was that strong Libra stellium in the 3rd house, which traditionally governs activities of mental development, intellectual growth, communication, travel and education, and relations with ones' siblings. With three planets plus Chiron in the 3rd, how could anyone pass up the opportunity to develop such an understanding, especially in the form of the mental and intellectual prowess? Finally, there is that beautiful trine between Uranus and Jupiter at the ends of the Wedge shape, giving the spiritual awareness and desire to expand the consciousness. So for a while, I figured that Bush had missed his true calling and while not seriously suggesting that he should have become a monk, hermit or recluse in the early part of his life, I still reckoned that he was given the chance to start ploughing through a veritable mountain of books, just lapping up all the knowledge that he could lay his eyes or hands on. The truth, of course, was rather different. While receiving (or at least having the chance to receive!) excellent education at Phillips Andover Academy and then Yale University, it turned out that Bush had been more of a party boy and a prankster than a serious student. It all goes to show that although excellent potential in any area may be indicated in any horoscope, the person concerned has to follow through on the offer and put in the necessary work to acquire the talents or knowledge. Sadly, Bush seems to have passed up the offer. So much for the archetype of the intellectually keen and spiritually motivated monk who devotes his life to sharpening his mind and raising upward towards his soul.

 

What Bush's 12th means in reality

Sadly for Bush, for America, and for the rest of the world, I have become convinced in recent weeks that there IS a good explanation for the way that his 12th house Sun and Saturn are operating. Admittedly, it is a bit unconventional (and perhaps some will say even totally weird!). I have had to rely on my intuition to make sense of what is going on here, but when we start to venture into the realm of esoteric astrology, we really have to start tuning in to our own inner understanding, or intuition, and can no longer completely rely upon hard or fast rules of standard astrological interpretation (and since every astrologer has his or her own way of understanding these "rules" anyway, this statement should not be that controversial). So let me state what I consider to be the true influence of this most mysterious part of his chart, the 12th house.

PRESIDENT BUSH HAS BECOME (especially since 9 / 11) A MEDIUM or PSYCHIC CHANNEL FOR THE DARK SIDE, THE SHADOW SELF, OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE / PSYCHE.

This of course is a very challenging statement, which flies directly in the face of those millions and millions of Americans (including some decent astrologers, as well!) who wish to believe, or have already convinced themselves, that he is a great way shower, a great light bearer for the much vaunted principles of freedom, justice, democracy, etc. etc. The majority of Americans are entitled to their opinions, of course, but in the rest of the world (and I am writing this in Australia) he is viewed in a very different light than at home. Astrologically speaking, I feel that I am on very firm grounds in stating that the above statement is a distinct POSSIBILITY (and of course, for me it is a PROBABILITY), given the nature of his 12th house. For what do we see here, in the house of psychic sensitivity and receptivity to the unseen worlds? Well, we have Saturn placed in Cancer, a sign where it is very weak (in detriment, in astrological terminology), in a house where it is traditionally not strong either. Saturn governs the sense of duty and responsibility in each individual, and also indicates whatever obstacles or burdens a person will have to face and deal with in a lifetime. On a higher turn of the spiral, Saturn can give that personal restraint, self-discipline and self-control which is such a rare virtue these days, but which every person on the true path of spirit must learn to develop. Bush's Saturn is too weakly placed, both by sign and by house, to live up to expectations. Saturn in Cancer traditionally indicates someone subject to personal insecurity and bouts of melancholy, as the emotions tend to be repressed or weighed down in one way or the other. Bush is able to "mask" or "hide" his Saturn behind his 1st house Leo facade and planetary stellium. Saturn is also a problem for him because it is in square aspect (90 degree angle) to his Midheaven at 24 degrees of Aries. The midheaven traditionally indicates one's public image or profession, or the highest position that one can attain in the accepted or standard sense. The square of Saturn to this very important point can operate in a couple of ways: 1) It can indicate great challenges in discharging the duties of ones' career or public position, challenges which can eventually be met and overcome, or 2) It does not bode well for this man leading his country in a way that can be regarded as dutiful, proper, just or responsible (all Saturnian buzzwords!), while all the while pretending to manifest such virtues.

But most revealing of all is the placement of the Sun in Bush's chart. It is in the EXACT SAME DEGREE OF CANCER where America's Sun is found in the Declaration of Independence chart for July 4th, 1776. This means that Bush's own inner character is exactly in sync with that of the nation as a whole! Or in other words, that Bush has a psychic resonance with America that is quite unique among all politicians. He may not consciously realise that he possesses this, or understand how it all works, but it does happen on an unconscious level somewhere within his being. Thus he embodies - for good or for ill! - the psyche of America and especially the emotional life of this nation, as Cancer is a water sign that is particularly attuned to personal emotions and the early home life of the individual. And that psyche, that emotional inner landscape and personal response to events and situations, was given an almighty jolt on September 11th, 2001. There were karmic reasons for these tragedies coming to pass, however. Sadly, very few Americans seem to understand that 9 / 11 was a sort of divine retribution for some of the more negative (and of course, secret!) acts that had been occurring during the past decade. (For more information about certain nasty bits in the karma of America, please see my book THE SEPTEMBER 11TH TRAGEDIES AND THE KARMA OF AMERICA which will hopefully be available for commercial distribution in March or April of this year).

Let's look a little more closely at some of the aspects that the Sun is forming to other planets in his chart. Probably the most significant aspect is the benefic sextile from the Sun to Mars. Mars is placed in the sign Virgo in the 2nd house of the chart, the house traditionally governing money, possessions, and finance. In the chart of an average person, this position of Mars would indicate a lot of drive in the area of making money, as well as considerable forethought and shrewd analysis of one's changing financial situation. In other words, the successful and shrewd businessman or investor who plays his cards very cannily and wisely, and as a result reaps the subsequent financial rewards. The good aspect from the Sun to Mars very much helps in all of this. But as Bush is the leader of a nation and thus his chart becomes "nationalised", if I can be permitted to use this phrase, we also have to interpret Mars here in a broader area: THIS POSITION OF MARS AFFECTING THE AMERICAN NATION INDICATES A HUGE DEGREE OF SPENDING ON THE MILITARY (as Mars is the planet of war, the "war god") WITH AN EYE TO REAPING MONETARY GAIN FROM WAR AND CONQUEST. In other words, let's go to war for fun and profit!! That is the sad and shocking truth of Mars in Bush's chart, in my humble opinion. It is ultimately the energy of Mars in Virgo acting in a fairly debased and degenerate manner (and once again, this is masked by the Leo Ascendant and Leo stellium, especially Mercury, which publicly invokes the highest principles of international concern in the pursuit of what are actually quite base and condemnable goals).

And when we look at the other aspects of the Sun in this chart, this thesis seems to be born out. Let's examine the first quarter phase of the Moon in Libra. This means that when Bush was born, the Moon was just moving past the exact first-quarter waxing phase (and thus was half-illumined in the sky). According to Dane Rudhyar, the late and widely respected American astrologer, this phase in a general sense represents "a time of crisis in action, a time for managerial, forceful activity. … A strong will is usually present in the positive instance of the type, and perhaps a feeling of self-exaltation when faced with crumbling old structures, and the (at times) ruthless attempt at consolidating the new ideal" (THE LUNATION CYCLE, {1967} p. 51). In other words, Bush is motived by the call to ACTION, not consideration or reflection. Both his Sun and Moon are in active / cardinal signs, which increase the impetus to action (and increase the danger of the action becoming blind or wasteful!). The Moon in Bush's chart is forming a close conjunction to Chiron, which is a symbol of the wounded healer, indicating where work needs to be done in the form of therapy or analysis to heal one's deeper wounds (usually acquired in past lifetimes and carried over into the present one). It is fairly apparent that Bush's wound lies in the non-comprehending or spontaneous activity of his personality, symbolised by the Moon. In other words, a person much more likely to be led into (unthinking) action by the call of his PERSONALITY (or lower self), as opposed to the fainter voice of his SOUL (higher self).

Indeed, a major problem here is that Bush's Moon is nominally stronger than his Sun (despite the fact that the Sun is above the horizon and ruling the Leo Ascendant). His Moon is very much bolstered, empowered and given self-confidence by its conjunction with Jupiter, which as mentioned earlier is a very enviable position indeed, especially for politicians or world leaders. But it's not all peaches and cream for his Jupiter, either. The Sun is forming a square aspect (or 90 degree angle) to Jupiter. According to astrological tradition, this aspect indicates wastefulness and loss of resources through over confidence or false optimism. Or to use common language, a good-time or party boy (which we know that Bush was in his earlier years). We can also note that there is a weak square aspect between Saturn and Jupiter (to use an 8+ degree orb for this aspect, which would be accepted by most if not all astrologers). This aspect is quite worrying, actually, as it indicates a conflict between the Saturnian virtues of rightful attention to duty, self-control, and patience, and the Jovial virtues of expansion, optimism, and response to the higher mind or spiritual energies. Once again, it seems that America and her population are in for more hard lessons here, in following a leader into war based upon PERSONALITY bravado, charisma and charm, rather than one who can contact his SOUL (through the necessary meditation and introspection). When will Americans ever learn that the glamour boys don't necessarily make good leaders?

The curse of the dark side of the American psyche

As mentioned above, I believe that Bush's 12th house planets have given him the necessary apparatus to function as a (n unconscious, of course!) medium for the dark side of the American psyche. What is that dark side, that shadow self, in actuality? Well, in my humble opinion, it is twofold: 1) It is the extremely materialistic and grasping nature of the American population, in which money, wealth and possessions are valued in the minds of the masses above all else, whatever rhetoric the politicians and leaders are currently spinning, 2) It is the tendency of the nation to act as a world policeman, which leads into or merges into a world bully-boy. Sadly, the role of the world bully-boy used to be fulfilled by the British nation, at least until sometime between the World Wars, when it was taken over by the Americans. This is not to state that either the British as former custodians of their Empire and colonies, or Americans as current economic custodians of the world have not done much good for the world and leant a helping hand to many nations during times of crisis and gloom. Of course these actions have created much good karma for both nations and made them places of great personal and financial opportunity for many millions of their citizens, immigrants and inhabitants. However, I do believe that history can be viewed from some flexible perspectives in which we can both acknowledge the good that America and Britain have done during the past centuries, but also recognise that both nations have also made serious mistakes and attempted to dominate parts of the world (in the name of progress, justice and increased economic opportunities, no less!) that didn't really want to be part of their glorious dreams (such as the American experience in Central America during the last century and especially the last 20 years). By the way, this analysis also explains why Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is so quick to jump on the Bush bandwagon to invade Iraq, when all other European leaders (notably Germany's Gerhard Schroeder) have said NO! to the Iraqi misadventure in no uncertain terms.

The casual reader may well ask at this point, Why is it that the Dark Side of America (and Britain!) is coming out so strongly now? The answer must necessarily be fairly esoteric. We cannot really see it by examining the horoscopes of either America or Britain. The esoteric fact (in my opinion, of course!) is that during the past 5 years, there has been a tremendous downpouring of unseen light in the form of spiritual energy from certain cosmic sources, that has been directed deep into the earth and all of her inhabitants. That should be good news for us all, for it means that the Forces of Light (and we could write books and books about Who and What They are!!) are really trying to help us here on earth get out of the many messes we have created during the Age of Pisces (c. 170 B.C. - 1962 A.D.). Their greatest gift to one and all, is the Divine Light of Spirit and Soul, which They have been pouring down in great quantity since the early 1960s, but especially during the past couple of decades.

The problem is, as every good student of the esoteric knows, is that when great quantities of light are released, it also rouses great resistance, in the form of the old darkness, ignorance, prejudice, misunderstanding, and probably dozens of other negative nouns that could be used here. And that, in a nutshell, is the current human conundrum. Our planet (and thus each and every one of us!) is being bombarded with great light, and that in turn is rousing whatever darkness, anti-spiritual attitudes, and materialism there are in our beings. This applies not only to individuals (and haven't we all noticed a huge increase in stress, psychological pressure, and personal difficulties in the lives of nearly everyone during the past five years or so!), but also to families, communities, and nations. Thus, every country in the world is having to deal with its Dark Side, its Shadow Self - the accumulation of decades, often centuries, and in some cases millenniums of ignorance, blind ambition, greed, prejudice and hatred, etc. etc. - in recent years. It can no longer be ignored. It can no longer be swept under the carpet. We can no longer pretend that it doesn't exist. New historical research in every country is exposing the buried and forgotten nasty bits of history that we don't want the world to know about, let alone ourselves, as it tends to blow the myth that our particular nation is the greatest and most desirable place on earth…..

So America is having to face its dark side. And George Bush is a perfect medium or vehicle for that (often unpleasant!) experience. His Sun in Cancer, because it is in the exact same sign and degree of that sign as in the national horoscope (July 4th) of America, is thus a perfect mirror of the American psyche as a whole (with all its warts and imperfections!) But there is one key planet in his chart that I have not yet discussed, that really fits into what is written above. This is Pluto. This planet is in an important position here. It is conjunct his Mercury, and rising just below the Ascendant. Pluto can be the regenerator, redeemer, and promoter of rebirth and resurrection in its higher influences or vibrations. It can also be the destroyer, the bringer of catastrophes, and the implacable bully when it is operating in its lower side. I do think that President Bush displayed great determination to overcome the hidden and secret enemies of America during the months after 9 / 11. I think that he did relatively well in the role of the national leader for about a year afterward, until September '02. I personally supported the invasion of Afghanistan by the allied forces and was delighted to see the menace of the Taliban and al Qaeda. I regard these forces as menaces, in no uncertain terms, as they represent a very dark and reactionary approach to life (which are the Dark Side or Shadow Self expression of Islam, and will have to be dealt with by each and every adherent of that great religion). So in the year after 9 / 11, Bush responded well, to the higher side of his prominent Pluto, in dealing with the hidden menace of terrorism, especially in Afghanistan. Now, sad to say, because of his own misunderstandings and imper-fections (not to mention those of the nation that he is unconsciously channelling!), he is responding to the lower side as he assumes the quite undesirable mantle of World Bully in relation to Iraq and Saddam Hussein. For the record, I think that Saddam is himself an exponent of the dark side of the Iraqi psyche. However, the current American preparations for invasion have much more to do with controlling a key Middle Eastern oil supply, and very little in fact to do with the bringing of democracy, justice, and openness to the suffering people of Iraq, or the elimination of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

 

Astrological timing for the invasion of Baghdad

You don't have to be an astrological genius to realise that Bush and Blair want to invade Iraq soon. I believe that if they thought they could get away with it this month, they would go ahead and do it. However, there is a report by the UN Weapons Inspection team that was and is in Iraq, due in late January. It is doubtful that even Bush could be so hypocritical as to start the invasion before that report was tabled. The thousands of American troops in the desert in Kuwait are getting bored and restless, and as December - February are the coolest months in that part of the world, there is added incentive to start this misadventure soon. It seems that in the recent two weeks, the Americans have started to accuse Saddam of non-compliance with the UN Weapons Inspectors that are in Iraq, and for a while it seemed as if this would be all the excuse that Bush & Co. were looking for to start a war. To date, only 12 empty cannisters capable of holding biological weapons have been found by the inspectors. Will Bush & Blair be so irrational as to claim this is a legitimate excuse to start the war? This would be a mind-boggling small detail over which to start a major conflict but it seems that B & B are determined to invade, by hook or by crook.

At this point in time, most commentators believe that a February invasion is imminent. I would concur with that analysis, for the following astrological reasons:

1. February is the month that the Moon in Bush's progressed horoscope forms an exact square aspect or ninety degree angle to his natal Pluto. Remember that Pluto is in a key position in his chart and operates in both a higher and lower sense. At the moment, Bush is responding to the lower vibrations of Pluto by acting like a world bully. The lower side of his Pluto will be very much emphasised in February by the exact square aspect the progressed Moon is forming from 10 degrees of Scorpio.

2. On February 7th, Mars hits the 13th degree of the sign Sagittarius. For many astrologers, this is the exact degree of the Rising Sign or Ascendant in the U.S. horoscope. By crossing this point in the national chart, Mars will be releasing its aggressive, warlike energy directly into the national consciousness.

3. On February 1st, transiting Mars in Sagittarius will be forming a square aspect to Bush's natal Mars at 9 degrees of Virgo. This will further set off his own aggression and war-like tendencies.

4. The Full Moon in February occurs right at the beginning of the month, on the 1st and 2nd. Moonless nights are most desirable for the preliminary air attacks on Baghdad's ground and missile defences (unless only remote-controlled attack missiles are used) as the flying planes and bombs cannot easily be detected from below.

Because of all the above reasons, I would expect that the attack on Baghdad will begin during the first week of February. If that does not happen, then the second and third weeks of that month may also see the invasion beginning. If we should be so fortunate as to see March come without an invasion, then I truly believe that we might be out of the woods and that an invasion could be avoided altogether.

 

What can good and spiritually-minded people do to prevent
or counteract this military misadventure?

While it is obvious that no one can really stop Bush from making a major mistake and bringing a war of likely disastrous consequences to the Middle East, there actually are a number of things that we, the intelligent and peace-loving masses, can do to counter what he is planning.

First of all, there is direct political pressure on Bush, his cabinet, and the Republican Senators and Congressmen. Americans are in a good position to write letters, send e-mails and faxes, and express their general disapproval about what is being planned. Secondly, some of the churches and church leaders in America - at long last! - are starting to stand up and publicly criticise what Bush is planning to do. Those churches and church leaders need the support and encouragement of the American masses. If you are living in America and haven't wanted to attend church for the last few years or decades, now is your real chance to make a difference by going to church and supporting the position of those clerics and leaders who are condemning this insane plan of Bush's. Church people are nice people, take it from me! They have a sense of morality and a trust in a higher plan - God's will - that is refreshing to find, even if you don't like the ritual or other dogmas associated with this or that Christian denomination. By the way, the Pope at the Vatican is also starting to voice his uneasiness over the proposed invasion. If you are a Catholic living in America or elsewhere, please write to the Pope and urge him to continue speaking out against the planned Iraqi invasion. While Bush and Blair initially will try to ignore such pressure, in the long run they have to take account of it as there are many millions of sincere Catholics and members of other Christian denominations in Britain and America.

For those of us living overseas, we too can exert great pressure on our own leaders not to get involved in this misadventure. For example, here in Australia, Prime Minister John Howard has shown that he is a strong supporter of Bush and his policies, and a few months ago, expressed strong support for Bush's tough talk against Iraq. The resulting public outrage and pressure against Howard and some of his cabinet ministers for taking this stance was so vehement that he was forced to back peddle and has been down playing the possibility of Australia's involvement in any Iraqi invasion. Of course, PM Howard is actually desperate to send in Australian troops to fight alongside the Americans. Indeed, in recent days he has announced the deployment of SAS troops and ships to Iraq, while still claiming that a diplomatic solution can be found there. Such hypocrisy and in fact blatant mistruths should be challenged by every one of us that believes in honest government and fair principles in international relations. For instance, the Uniting Church in the state of Victoria (where I live) has publicly pledged to carry out a campaign of civil disobedience if Australian troops are involved in war on Iraq. Good on you, Uniting Church! We Australian should not let John Howard get away with murder - and that is speaking LITERALLY, not figuratively, in this situation - and should oppose him and his government most vocally and strenuously if he tries to send any troops to Iraq.

Finally, there is that great and often overlooked power, the power of prayer and concentration of mind. Your daily prayers, either singly or in groups, are much needed for peace at this critical time in the world. For prayer invokes the intercession of the higher, spiritual, divine powers - call them angels, guardians, spirits, Masters, or whatever - and the simple esoteric fact is that if enough people in enough countries were to pray diligently enough for weeks or months, these higher divine powers would indeed come into action, although usually in unexpected ways.
Please do not underestimate the influence that we as individuals and groups can wield in this manner. WE THE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE DO NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE STUPID AND INCOMPETENT DECISIONS OF POLITICIANS AND WORLD LEADERS WHO WOULD LEAD US INTO THE ABYSS. But please make haste, for time is growing short in this matter.

© Zachary Casper 2003