I was told at the time that the RAF actually wanted to send its last F-4s to the Gulf, but commercial pressure from 't Bungling Baron and DESO's gun-runners (who were concerned that an F-4 deployment might harm the Tornado ADV's export potential) held sway.
Never mind what's best for the job - we can't have that interfering with our export sales, can we?
As for gongs, I never did understand why we were given a couple of medals, then told we weren't allowed to wear them. I understand that a few folk ignored the rule and wore them anyway - just as the Americans were permitted to do.