WHAT DO YOU WANT? A MEDAL?

Thanks to Alex for this story from the Press Association wire.

It says that members of the media embedded with British forces during the Iraq war are to be honoured alongside service personnel with a campaign medal.

The Iraq Medal recognises service in and in support of operations in Iraq from January 20, 2003 -- including the services of MoD-accredited media workers.

That means many of my colleagues who reported on the war will have a nice shiny gong to pin on their jackets.

I, however, as a "unilateral" journalist -- working in Iraq outside the Ministry of Defence's accreditation system -- won't.

Call it sour grapes if you like but I think accepting the same commendation as military personnel crosses a fundamental line. Are we independent journalists -- or are we adjuncts to the armed forces?

Medals and awards are all very nice, but they should come from humanitarian or press freedom organisations -- not the government.