Out-Francing France?

Fox News is reporting that Spain's Defense Minister, under severe criticism from the public and even his fellow members of the Cabinet for arranging for himself to be awarded a medal for presiding over Spain's retreat from Iraq, has returned it.

A good thing, too; otherwise Spain- already world-famous as an easy mark for blackmail- might replace France as a national metaphor for alacrity in surrender. Even the French don't award medals for running away!