Women Are Playing a Bigger Role: Despite different attitudes in Muslim cultures, American women in Operation Enduring Freedom are performing military jobs not allowed 10 years ago in Desert Storm. They're dropping bombs, flying fighter jets, and serving on combat ships. Some analysts fear greater risk to military women in countries where women are afforded inferior status. Others wonder about tensions their presence could create among allies such as Saudi Arabia. But women have become such an integral part of the military -- now making up about 15 percent -- that neither leaders nor the women consider their role out of the ordinary.