Caroline May at the Daily Caller reports that female US soldiers are subject to official “requests” (which soldiers clearly have to treat as a demand) that they wear hajibs (Islamic headcoverings) outside of base in Afghanistan:
In an effort to get closer to the local population, American female soldiers stationed in Afghanistan are being encouraged to wear a Muslim headscarf when interacting with civilians. But some question whether the practice constitutes cultural sensitivity or a form of appeasement that is degrading to U.S. soldiers.
Major Kyndra Rotunda, executive director of the Military Law and Policy Institute and AMVETS Legal Clinic, told The Daily Caller that while the women are not being ordered to wear the head scarf, encouragement is tantamount to a demand.
“They say they are encouraging women to wear the headscarf when they are out and about and on patrol. But the problem is — and I think anyone who has been in the military understands that being encouraged to do something is about the same thing as being ordered — it really puts them in an uncomfortable position when their commander says, ‘We really want you to do this, technically you don’t have to, but we really want you to do this,’” she said.
Lt. Col. Michael Lawhorn, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, stressed to TheDC that while commanders are encouraging American women to wear headscarves while engaging with civilians, they are not having them wear the headscarf in lieu of their kevlar helmets.
Now that “Dont’ Ask, Don’t Tell” is history, will CENTCOM demand that walls be toppled on top of gay American soldiers in the name of Muslim cultural sensitivity?
Well – I think if more and more US female soldiers are encouraged to wear hijab as a general rule – it may help to reduce the rape cuture in the US Army – which has already passed over 30% of all the female soldiers either sexually assaulted or actually raped by the male superiors.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/liberating-muslim-women/
Ah.
“It’s all the Woman’s fault.” And predictably, adherence to some flavor of Islam is the “solution.” (Insert rude noise here)
Go pound sand.
Rehmat,
Rape culture in the US Army? Do you have a site for that and the 30% number?
Is that hajib going to be government issue? Will every sea bag now contain the wardrobe necessary to calm the wildly beating hearts of
muslim men? This pc crap will be the downfall of the military’s aim
of putting women into combat. Imagine having to run a mortar while
wearing a burkha.Will a clitorectomy be the next request from a
females commanding officer? After all,we must become aware of muslim sensibility’s. Would you send your daughter into a military that disrespected her,to gain favor with our enemies?
The usual stupid Hasbara tactics. I can provide proof for rape in both the US and Israeli army. The later-one is even worse than the former. Anyone remember 37 Israeli soldiers and five civilians raping a 11-year-old daughter of fellow Jewish NCO at a military base?
Long Live Feminism in USA.
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=54485
Shalom