In the USA just before Christmas Donald Rumsfeld's replacement was sworn in as Secretary of Defence. Much discussion ensued about whether Robert Gates, Rumsfeld's replacement, would make much of a difference compared to the war-mongering Rumsfeld.

Bush said: "Don Rumsfeld has been a superb leader during a time of change. Yet he also appreciates the value of bringing in a fresh perspective during a critical period in this war."

CNN reported that "Gates, a former CIA chief, was a member of the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that is making recommendations to Bush on how to proceed in Iraq. Gates traveled with the panel to Iraq earlier this year, an experience, Bush said, that will enable Gates to come up with "new ideas on how America can achieve our goals in Iraq.""

And Gates himself said that he had accepted Bush's nomination because "the United States is at war" and "I believe the outcome of these conflicts will shape our world for decades to come."

So everyone is clear that this is very much a war-focused appointment, not a standard defence appointment.

Turning to the astrology, the first thing to note is that Gates was sworn in on the day of the Sun-Pluto conjunction, aligned with the Galactic Centre. This symbolises a new start in the war project, upping it to a new level, beginning - or trying to begin - a new phase. It speaks of the need for comprehensive renewal. The question is, is Gates going to be any different to Rumsfeld, or is he going to be more of the same?

The short answer is 'more of the same'.

Rumsfeld's chart has several close contacts to Bush's of the type that indicate being on the same wavelength, being quite comfortable with one another, but also of egging each other on to take more risks.

Gates's chart shows a similar risk-taking connection - Mars conjunct Uranus (Rumsfeld's Mars is at 12 Gemini and Gates's is at 15.5 Gemini - Bush's Uranus is at 19 Gemini). There are other similarities: Gates has his Sun closely conjunct Rumsfeld's Moon, for instance, and their Jupiter's are conjunct, so they are not exactly miles apart when it comes to wavelengths.

This is simple stuff, but backed up by looking at midpoints and other aspects, omitted from this outline to keep it brief.

On 15th December last year the government announced that it was stripping GNER of its franchise to run the east coast mainline railway route which goes from London to Edinburgh, the most valuable train franchise in the UK. Instead of operating the route until 2015, as originally agreed, GNER will be replaced in mid-2008.

GNER got off to a good start in 1996 when it first won the franchise: the chart for that moment shows the Ascendant linked directly to the UK's Mercury in Sagittarius in the 3rd house, symbolising transport and journeys. Unfortunately, Neptune and Uranus in the 2nd house of finances and assets aren't so straight-forward...... the price paid for the franchise was inflated beyond realism (Neptune).

In January 2002 when the franchise was extended transiting Pluto was exactly conjunct the 1996 franchise Ascendant, reflecting new life, but also survival issues. At the same time, transiting Neptune in the 2nd house was exactly square the 1996 Sun, showing the potential to lose one's way, to dissolve.

Over the next months transiting Pluto would come into orb of opposing the 1996 Venus, showing that a potential financial crisis needed to be dealt with head-on.

The latest franchise agreement came into operation in April 2005, with transiting Neptune in semisquare to 1996 Saturn suggestive of an undermining process that washes away secure-footing. Neptune was slowly edging its way towards being within orb of its trine to 1996 Venus, indicating the potential for financial dissolution.

In December 2006 when GNER was stripped of the franchise, the Neptune transit to Saturn was just passed exactitude. Transiting Pluto (life/death changes) was almost exactly trine 1996 Mars (survival) and quincunx 1996 Mercury (transport, travel, journeys, trading). Most appropriately, transiting Saturn had been stationary in square to Mercury - hitting the buffers, no less, as the planet of limits and endings stopped moving as it aligned with the planet of movement.......

(The date of Saturn's exact station was 6th December, although a fortnight either side of that date is when the cessation of motion is evident.)