On march 18th, Pte Johnson Beharry, an armoured-vehicle driver in the British army, who was wounded last year in Iraq, became the first soldier to win the Victoria Cross (vc), the nation's top gong for gallantry, in 23 years. As an advertisement for equal opportunities, it was a masterstroke. Mr Beharry is black and grew up poor on the Caribbean island of Grenada. As a morale-booster, moreover, to an army bruised by recent scandals, including abuses against detainees in Iraq and recruits at home, the award seemed conspicuously timely. No doubt the government, struggling to shake off its critics over Iraq, was also pleased. Yet conspiracy theories are out of place.
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机译：3月18日，去年在伊拉克受伤的英军装甲车司机Pte Johnson Beharry成为23年以来首位赢得该国最高荣誉维多利亚十字勋章的士兵。作为机会均等的广告，这是绝招。 Beharry先生是黑人，在加勒比海格林纳达岛长大，贫穷。此外，作为一支鼓舞士气的军队，该奖项受到最近丑闻的打击，包括对伊拉克被拘留者的虐待和在国内新兵的虐待，该奖项显然是及时的。毫无疑问，政府为摆脱对伊拉克的批评而感到高兴。但是阴谋论是不合适的。
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