I thought the culmination of the book in the last chapter was very interesting. As Horowitz was hitching a ride on a U.S. transport carrying Saudi troops home he noticed a servicewoman monitoring their takeoff. I thought this was a really interesting last minute comparison between Middle Eastern culture and our own. The way Horowitz described the situation was also very interesting. He said, “the other Saudi soldiers were rigid as well, eyeing the lithe, pony tailed service woman with an unabashed mix of lust and terror.” This scene must have been mind blowing for these soldier who have probably seen only one woman’s face before. I thought it was really interesting that he not only described their emotions as lustful, but also that they had a look of terror. I thought it was weird that country of people who have oppressed woman for all of their existence would be afraid of them. Not only did a veil not cover this woman, but also she was working, and was at war. These soldiers must have felt incredibly confused and apprehensive about the situation. A woman was taking them home, to a country where woman cannot even drive a car let alone a military transport. This confrontation in the plane makes me wonder what an Iraqi soldier might do if he were to see a woman in combat against him. My guess is the shear confusion and shock would get the soldier killed. It would be an interesting situation to see played out.
D.P.S.
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As DS wrote in his post "Women at War!?", the comparison between Middle Eastern culture and our own is astonishing. I agree with him when he states that in America, for a woman to be involved in war is nothing new, but for these Saudi soldiers, it is terrifying and insulting to their culture. As American women, we have as many rights as men do and are allowed to be in combat during wars. In the Middle East, women aren't even allowed to show their faces in public, let alone defend their country. Those Saudi soldiers must have been shocked and terrified to see a woman working with them because the Middle Eastern soldiers were coming from a certain part of the world that has oppressed woman for centuries. They must have felt confused and uncomfortable being at the hands of a women. A woman that was not only working, but at war and treatly equally as men. I think DS has a very good point when he says that the sheer confusion and shock of seeing a woman in combat would be enough to get a Middle Eastern soldier killed in war. Maybe someday the Middle Eastern culture might loosen up on their laws regarding women, but seeing as they have been strictly enforced for centuries, I highly doubt that will happen anytime soon.
-BC
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