Iraqi Oil Contracts

In the previous month's column we had felt that during the time period of the previous New Moon that opposed Pluto there would be some factors that would come to light and that would powerfully affect the United States, since Pluto is currently transiting in square to the U. S. Midheaven. Here is a sample of the headlines from this period of time last month, just after the New Moon of the 22nd:

On Monday June 22nd, Court Declines to Hear Valerie Plame Lawsuit. This refers to the Supreme Court deciding to uphold the Bush administration's policy of keeping the lid on the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame, which has been shown to implicate the former administration at the very highest levels, including the former Vice President and also key White House strategist Karl Rove. The leak to the press of Ms Plame's identity as an agent was a felony, and had a fairly sordid motive since it was done in retaliation for the denouncing of Bush by her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson. This is the scandal that goes back to the very outset of the Iraq war, and that simply will not go away, and rightly so, since the upholders of the law were the very ones who were breaking the law.

On Tuesday the 23rd we had: Insurance Companies: Public Health Option Would Be "Devastating" referring to the battle against single-payer health insurance, something that the American public has shown that it wants, but that would threaten the industry's profits.

Finally the biggest issue of all for the national image, the preliminary headline involving the Iraqi oil contracts:

The Iraqi government is preparing to sell off large oil contracts to foreign companies for the first time since nationalizing its oil industry in 1972. An auction for developing six national oil fields is scheduled for next week. Companies taking part in the bidding include Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and Russia's Lukoil. The Wall Street Journal calls the auction "a welcome-back party for Big Oil."

This issue is still very much a breaking news story during the opening weeks of July, as the negotiations have begun in earnest for what the oil companies will eventually demand or have to settle for, and calls into question the motive for the invasion as the left has consistently maintained.

This will obviously become a developing story over the next six months, while Pluto continues to closely aspect U.S. Midheaven and while Neptune and Jupiter conjunct U.S. Moon degree, representing the public. These transits suggest that the image of the United States will suffer in the eyes of the world as a result of these maneuverings, that the public will take an optimistic and potentially high-minded approach, and that changes are in store for the way this country continues to do business.

In July these transits continue with little change, and are highlighted again by the lunations. The eclipses of July 7th and July 21st will once again be likely times for further developments in these important areas.