On September 11, 2012, spontaneous protests broke out in Egypt and Libya over a purported trailer for an American-made film, “The Innocence of Muslims“, which enraged Islamic populations with its insulting portrayal of the prophet Mohammad. The film, which may or may not actually exist beyond its low-budget trailer, was being promoted by Terry Jones, the controversial Florida pastor whose “Burn a Koran Day” led to deadly riots in Afghanistan in 2011. Protests have since spread to US embassies and legations in more than a dozen countries worldwide, with the demonstrations broadening into a general critique of American foreign policy and involvement in these regions.
Layered atop the Libyan protests, which occurred in Benghazi, was an orchestrated, pre-planned attack on the US diplomatic mission there carried out by a local al Qaeda-affiliated splinter group, undertaken in retaliation for the recent drone attacks killing several top al Qaeda operatives. More than a hundred terrorists took control of the building and set it ablaze, firing RPGs and assault weapons, in a firefight that lasted over four hours and spread to a nearby “safe house.” J. Christopher Stevens, the US Ambassador to Libya, was killed in the attack, as well as Information Officer Sean Smith and two former SEAL security personnel, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
The sky that day was an eerie reflection of the tragic incident, both in its factual basis and in the underlying backdrop of the unrelated protests to the film trailer. Mars, ruling attacks, guns and violent death, was at 12 Scorpio, opposed asteroid Libya (#1268), the venue for the attacks, at 13 Taurus retrograde.
Asteroid Stevens (#38540), for the ambassador, falls at 21 Libra, conjoined both asteroid America, the country he represented, at 25 Libra, and transit Saturn, ancient ruler of death, at 27 Libra.
Asteroid Christophe (#1698, for Christopher) appears at 27 Leo, conjunct asteroid Tantalus (a point noted for heinous crimes and murder), asteroid Terry (#21952), for Pastor Terry Jones, who helped to publicize the trailer than sparked the protests, at 23 Leo, and asteroid Karma, the results of our actions, at 22 Leo. All these points square transit asteroid Requiem, named for the funeral mass for the dead, at 24 Scorpio and Osiris, named for the Egyptian god of the dead, at 28 Scorpio.
Jones is also represented by asteroid Jones (#3152), which at 18 Virgo is closely conjoined the Sun (the day’s events) at 19 Virgo and Mercury (news) at 20 Virgo, all of which oppose asteroid Smith (#3351) at 23 Pisces, representing slain Information Officer Sean Smith. A second celestial referent for Smith can be found in asteroid Sean (#7051), which at 16 Cancer is sextile Jones/Sun/Mercury and also opposed asteroid Washingtonia, representing the US capitol, government and its diplomatic service, at 20 Capricorn.
There are no asteroid referents for Glen Doherty, but Tyrone Woods in represented by asteroid Wood (# 1660), which at 26 Libra is part of the Stevens/America/Saturn stellium.
Born 18 April 1960, Ambassador Stevens had a conjunction of natal Pluto, modern ruler of death, at 3 Virgo with Libya, the scene of his death, at 5 Virgo, both points broadly opposed natal Mars at 12 Pisces. Transit Pluto at 6 Capricorn for the attack was trine natal Pluto/Libya, also opposed by transit Chiron—wounds—at 6 Pisces. Transit Mars—attacks and violent death—at 12 Scorpio was exactly trine its natal degree and exactly squared Stevens’ natal asteroid Stevens at 12 Leo, forming a T-Square with transit asteroid Libya at 13 Taurus.
Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .
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