Are many "war brides" coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan?

**VCO3’s ** thread about Vietnam War brides got me thinking about this, but I did not want to change the subject. It’s my understanding that in World War II and Vietnam, there were many women coming to America after marrying American soldiers in those wars.

Has this happened at all in Iraq and Afghanistan? Or from Kuwait during the Gulf War? The reason I ask is because I’d assume the religious difference to be more of a barrier to this for Muslims in the Middle East than for women in Europe or Vietnam. Am I wrong? Have there been a lot of women coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan?

Not a single answer? Gotta bump this before I go to bed.

I doubt there is much chance to meet the locals anymore in Iraq except on the end of an rpg round. Earlier on when tensions were less there seem to be a few e.g. Best Usenet Service Providers 2023-Newsgroup Reviews- Usenet.com. This article notes 1500 visa requests from war brides and engagees from Iraq http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20060813/ai_n16642542 , though as the article notes this is much less than from any other conflict.

In Afghanistan there are worse cultural and language barriers, though more chance to meet the locals. In fact I cant find any reference to any on the web.

I expect it was much safer for US troops to go out in South Vietnam and fraternise than it would be in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Also the locals may not want to see any troops:

“The Afghanistan province being patrolled by British troops will produce at least a third of the world’s heroin this year, according to drug experts who are forecasting a record harvest that will be an embarrassment for the western-funded war on narcotics.”