US women soldiers in Saudi Arabia do not have to wear head cover
Saudi Arabia-USA, Politics, 1/26/2002

Chairman of the US Central Command Tommy Francs on January 22 gave his orders to the American army leaders in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region not to impose wearing the traditional head cover on the American women soldiers in Saudi Arabia as from that date.

News reports quoted American officials as saying that the orders given by Francs also called on the American leaders to cancel any policies or lists that oblige the American soldiers to wear civilian cloths over the American military costumes in order to hide it.

The orders also did not oppose the Saudi embargo over women's driving cars and also the need of having a man escorting the women soldiers outside the military bases. Lt. Col. Martha Maksali, the woman who carried the highest military grade of the American leading fighters filed a judicial case to end these policies, which the US defense department ( the Pentagon) said they are necessary to avoid provoking religious sectarianism.

Worthy mentioning that the new American order was given after a warning came from the chairman of the armed forces committee at the US senate which said that the American air force might be obliged to give up Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia because of the restrictions imposed on members of the American forces there.

Previous Stories:
  Saudi Arabia denies change in military policy with US   (1/23/2002)
  Powell says Saudis not asking for U.S. forces withdrawal   (1/21/2002)
  American pressure on Saudi Arabia reaches new high   (1/19/2002)
  Al-Riyadh rules out women's participation in the Shoura council   (1/2/2002)
  At last the Saudi woman gets an ID   (12/12/2001)
  US embassy in al-Riyadh denied to have asked women asking for visa to take off their veils   (12/5/2001)
  Saudi Arabia: no place for woman before the wheels of the car   (4/27/2001)
  Thurayya Obeid: The first Saudi woman to acquire a post at the UN   (4/19/2001)
  Saudi Arabia human rights record   (3/10/2001)

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