My (cynical) view on why we get only get one medal for taking part in multiple operations, adding only a clasp for each different theatre, is that it disguises from the casual observer the extent to which our forces have been deployed over the past decade or so. If everyone pictured in uniform had a row or 2 of campaign medals it would certainly be noticeable to Joe Public! Whilst defence has a high public profile at the moment, that wasn't the case when the OSM was introduced...