When Desert Shield started, and troops started pouring into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to bail their tails out of the fire, the Bible was initially on the list of items forbidden. After much politicking, troops were allowed to carry small personal bibles, but were ordered not to leave them out as it would be an offense against the laws of the kingdom. Female troops were under severe restrictions as to what they could do on base (no working in just T-shirt, etc) and were initially not allowed off base at all. Saudi Arabia regards US civilians and personnel who are not muslim as third rate people at best.

The US Soldiers who committed the abuses in Abu Ghirab were not the norm, they were flagrantly disobeying orders and taking advantage of a lax/nonexistent chain of command.

WHile all Muslims I have had the pleasure of serving with in the military denounce radical fundementalist Islam, you cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the sects exist, and are the major reason for the current war we are fighting against terrorists.