Once again, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel – a powerful female Western leader – has arrived in Saudi Arabia sans headscarf ... and her uncovered hair is the news story.

Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May had also made headlines for not wearing a headscarf on an official visit to Saudi Arabia. This also isn't the first time Merkel has visited the kingdom without covering her hair.

While it's a catchy headline for Western publications, it's really not surprising or interesting.

Why?

Because Western female leaders routinely come to the kingdom without the headscarf. 

Here's Merkel this week ...

Here's May earlier this month ...

Here's an old photo of Merkel visiting now deceased King Abdullah ...

Here's former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on one of her visits to the kingdom

Former First Lady Michelle Obama

And here's Germany's Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen during a visit last year

From these few examples – and there are more – it's clear that Western female leaders routinely visit the kingdom without wearing a headscarf.

But nonetheless, when a female Western leader visits the kingdom, the headlines always appear a lot like they do today.

The Independent ...

The Mirror ...

While some may cheer these women as somehow championing women's rights by not wearing a piece of cloth over their hair, they're actually just visiting the kingdom to negotiate trade deals and bilateral relations, which often include lots of military weapons.