Retired Air Force Colonel Martha McSally became famous several years ago for suing the Department of Defense over the Islamic abaya.  While stationed as an A-10 pilot in Saudi Arabia, she was required to wear the abaya when she went off base to avoid offending the local Islamic population.

Congress intervened before the suit was adjudicated and, in its role of creating the rules and regulations for the US military, prohibited the required wear of the abaya in Saudi Arabia.

Writing in the Washington Post, McSally now says members of the US military’s “female engagement teams” in Afghanistan are being “encouraged” (read: required) to wear an Islamic scarf again.  She has a somewhat contradictory take on their wear of the Islamic garb:  on one hand, she “applauds” the women for doing “whatever it takes to win this war.”  On the other, she feels wearing the Islamic garb is a surrender to all that is wrong with the culture in which they are fighting:  Read more