In writing books, themes are developed which never make it to the final version. This was an interesting theme that didn’t make the cut but still makes good reading. As for the timing, this was written just past the point where the U.S. Navy engaged the Somalian Pirates.

Somalian Pirates I have repeated the phrase “what we do not fix we are doomed to repeat.” I am sure you remember the historical phrase the “Barbary Pirates.” The news of the last few days has peaked with the arrival of the American Navy off the coast of Somalia. I have not seen a television image as yet, my own imagination sees a huge warship and a lifeboat holding a few pirates and one captive, a very large ocean and nowhere to go. Remember when I said that some of these energies have not been around since Presidents Jefferson and Madison? Guess who dealt with pirates? Yup, Presidents Jefferson and Madison. Are you paying attention yet? As a nation we have done this before.

The Revolutionary War did not have a navy. It had merchant patriots that donated their vessels to the cause, and lost many of them. They were merchants, not trained admiralty. The British and French navies of the revolutionary era were pirates to our vessels regularly. The U.S. did not do well with that particular time of piracy.

Europe fought pirates from the time of the Crusades and the pirates usually won. Occasionally they were beaten back and slowed, but they came back time after time. Those countries were victimized by pirates but, they often used those pirates to torment their enemies. Also, all those countries bedeviled by the pirates were too busy fighting their petty wars with each other to create an effective alliance to end the piracy. Lies and deceit were the order of the day regardless of negotiation, agreement, and/or payment of tribute. As our country grew under Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison, it became necessary to found and equip a national navy. Beginning around 1801, under President Jefferson and continuing on and through President Madison in 1815, America gave the Barbary Pirates a black eye. The French went in for the final kill in 1830. Are you hearing an echo yet?

Centuries of Barbary piracy affecting many countries, none of which made a true indent into the core of the problem, many skirmishes, many minor victories, millions paid in tribute, masses of people slaughtered, genocide, uncounted slaves, hostages, destruction of entire towns and cities. The pirates were primarily Muslims citing permission to do whatever was possible to the infidels from the teachings of the Koran (which just can’t be true, can it?), plus renegades from many flags taking advantage of the situation, becoming pirates themselves. Despotic, cruel, mayhem for centuries, as the petty wars continued.

Currently Somalia is in a state of chaos, with no effective government. Terrorists and pirates have free rein, citizens are not free and live in poverty and terror. The land is in ruin. This is freedom without responsibility or, as described in the book, license. There is no glue of common purpose other than lawlessness. The United Nations is totally ineffective in bringing any sense of order to the country. Shipping lanes are not free and safe for normal travel for hundreds of miles around the country. Multiple highly developed countries use those shipping lanes. They have not cooperated seriously enough to put a stop to the piracy. NATO is now involved but is, as yet, largely ineffective. Being fair, the ocean area involved is enormous to police so there doesn’t seem to be much progress. Does any of this remind you about other border disputes we are encountering? Fences and borders are Saturn’s (limitations) purview.

This time it was a ship under a U.S. flag that was seized. Now there’s a U.S. war vessel doing battle with a lifeboat. The pirate’s home country is a mess, the pirates themselves are terrorists. The piracy involves many countries, apparently with blinders on, who have been incapable in the past of forming an alliance for their own good. Recent efforts on that behalf have begun and are definitely welcome. Tribute is still being paid, hostages are still held. Thank God there’s no genocide, no slavery, no destruction of foreign towns and cities. The only religious overtones of which I am aware were given above, and negotiations are ongoing. What point is for negotiations is not clear because the pirates are known thieves and liars. Where we must focus is that what we don’t learn and fix we are doomed to repeat. It is time to learn this one properly and fix what is wrong. Now rethink those borders mentioned at the end of the last paragraph. This can be true of all borders.

The Barbary Pirates activation of the U.S. sky map for President Jefferson was independence and freedom (Uranus), prestige, reputation, credibility (Midheaven), spiritual essence and drive (Neptune), powerful communications (Mercury, Pluto). This was an emotional (Moon) freedom issue (Sagittarius) for him and he came in on the need to be assertive and aggressive yet communicative (Mars, Gemini). President Jefferson was a wordsmith and a diplomat. He connected strongly to the U.S. power of persuasion (Mercury, Pluto). He negotiated successfully, but all that did was delay the inevitable. That does happen when the opponents are known thieves and liars. The president did what he could diplomatically as our ability to physically affect the outcome, our Navy, was built step by step over a few years. The physical acts to end the piracy fell to President Madison.

The activation of the U.S. sky map for President Madison also shows independence and freedom (Uranus), prestige, reputation, credibility (Midheaven), and spiritual essence and drive (Neptune). These two presidents, Jefferson and Madison, were good and close friends and allies. President Jefferson was a mentor to both Presidents Madison and Monroe, so this alliance of effort was not a surprise.

The activation of the inaugurations for President Jefferson and President Madison were different. They worked on solving different parts of this puzzle. Tightly joined spirituality (Neptune) and responsibility (Saturn) energies came in on the inauguration and President Madison had the personal power (Pluto) the coping skills and personal projection (ascendant) and responsibility (Saturn) to make it happen. He acted decisively and with a physical battle in 1815 he seriously damaged the pirate’s terrorist activities. Over the next few years, pirate activity was thoroughly squashed. What about today?

Did the U.S. sky map call President Obama to deal with those pirates again? This incident happened on his watch. I really do not see this as a priority at the moment in the 2009 inauguration sky map. It is definitely not unimportant, but that particular energy does not show on the priority list at the moment. This could be easily handled by delegation at this time. The president has surrounded himself with smart people. Logic alone suggests statecraft and the military combined could work, with cool heads capable of international cooperation and the strong arm and strategic ability to back it up. Remember Teddy Roosevelt’s “speak softly and carry a big stick” saying. Sounds good here and it sounds like President Obama’s tactic as well.

Believe it or not, the 2013 inaugural shows this call stronger than it is in the 2009 inaugural. Piracy in some form could be on a president’s plate in the future. The inaugural for that date is a sky map for whoever becomes president at that time. That sky map is not set for a particular man or a particular party. Any inaugural star map is set for the person the citizens vote into office to answer the call of the country. We the People are those citizens.

Is this only “pirates” or actually another nation bent on illegal mayhem? There seem to be so many of them lately. Our world is volatile, so this is possible.

The example of the Somalian pirates may be pretty clear but what about other forms of piracy, such as ‘corporate’  piracy like Enron, Worldmark, Haliburton, and many more that have made international headlines. Corporate pirates have devastated, plundered, and looted throughout many countries. Leaders of many nations and political parties have been so busy dealing with petty political issues that they have failed to protect their own citizens. Lies and deceit have been the order of the day. Tributes in the form of personal or political support have been paid by these pirates to avoid capture and punishment. We can only hope that President Obama, one of his task forces, or our newly elected Congress finally take these scoundrels on and bring them to justice. By not demanding transparency, honesty, responsibility and restitution, we give tacit approval to their actions. It is up to our lawmakers to address and fix the wrongdoing or set us up for future piracy.

One more quick note on the piracy Issue. We previously discussed that Saturn (conformity) is active right now in its tug of war with Uranus (change) and will be a factor In coming years. Among the keywords previously given such as structure, organization, responsibility, add “border disputes” to your understanding of Saturn.

During the editing process, my astrologer friend Jackie Chakhtoura provided this interesting piece of information which seems to be pertinent to this discussion.

Nota bene… my dad served in the Armed Guard during WWII.  That was back in the days when government felt it was a good idea to protect and defend U.S. and allied merchant ships.  Here’s a link: http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html

<http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html>  

It says “The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.  The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal-men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels. Disbanded following the end of the war, the Armed Guard is today little known or remembered by the general public, or even within the Navy. But without the courage and sacrifice of the men of the Armed Guard, victory in World War II would have been much more difficult and taken much longer.”) Now I’m thinking… what has changed?  Well, for one thing, Free Trade.  Are there still such things as “U.S. and Allied merchant ships?”  Or are all the ships owned by US citizen yet registered to countries like Liberia in order to avoid paying higher wages and taxes?  — J