Mars is currently Retrograde in Cancer until the God of aggression and war turns direct on January 31, 2008. He will stay in Cancer until right around New Years Eve when he backs into Gemini for the second time since November. But don’t forget that the whole cycle isn’t even over until April 4th when he finally leaves his shadow (the degree when he first foreshadowed his retrograde).
Here is a timely post on Mars Retrograde through the houses:

http://astrology.about.com/od/astrologyandrelationships/a/MarsRetroHouses.htm

It will give a good overview of the FLAVOR of Mars on your personal chart once you know which house it is taking a leisurely stroll through.

But to REALLY UNDERSTAND the impact of Mars in his current Retrograde Cycle make sure you pay more attention to the Aspects he makes to other planets more than the house that he’s in.

For Example: In the chart of the USA (where most of us reading this live) Mars Retrograde travels mostly through the 9th house (foreigners and education) and this gives the general flavor of this 6 month cycle. But during this time Mars Retrograde also crosses Jupiter (6′ Cancer) and Venus (3′ Cancer) between Dec 15 and 24th. At the same time transiting Mars opposes transiting Pluto, Jupiter, Sun, Mercury conjunction. And while the 9th house transit alone suggests foreign policy, meetings abroad and international trade (Venus is involved). It is the direct hits that Mars Makes during the week before Christmas that suggest some really dramatic financial events (Venus) foreign policy arguments (Mars on Jupiter) and basically a huge power play against a foreign power (or powers) who carry a great deal of clout and even have power and control over us (this opposing stack of power planets means someone else has a great deal of power). Think of it like this, you are sitting at the card table with your poker hand in front of you, and you’re feeling pretty good because you have a 3 Queens Ace high (the USA’s hand), and besides you are used to winning and almost take your good luck for granted…. Imagine your shock once you realize that the guy across the table from you has a winning Full House. And it’s winner take all….

Other things that Retrograde Mars means: the Hollywood writers strike won’t be over and settled until Mars leaves the shadow in Mid April. One good thing for the striking writers: they started the strike JUST BEFORE Mars went Retrograde - so they are likely to have the final victory (after the rubble and the dust settles). In the meantime the whole landscape of the industry will change dramatically. This ‘aint 1988 (when the last strike happened). And even back in ‘88 when there was no Internet to compete for viewers attention it cost the city of LA $500 Million dollars. There is a reason the wise suggest that in order to understand the future we must look at the past.

Stay tuned for more dramatic events, brought to you by the ever aggressive and warlike red planet, Mars.