Sir Salman Rushdie

He's a world-famous author. His wife is hot. He's had a fatwah out on his life since 1989. What more could Salman Rushdie ask for? Well one culture's apostate is another's knight in shining armor. Iran and Pakistan are incensed over Queen Elizabeth's decision to confer a knighthood on Rushdie.

Rushdie was born into an Indian Muslim family from Bombay. Death threats started with the publication of the Satanic Verses in 1989. The book was been called blasphemous by conservative muslims and sparked protests in many countries. Critics believe the book ridicules Islam and the Koran.

Others have ridiculed knighthood in the 21st century. First Deputy Speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar told Iran's parliament, "The British monarch lives under this illusion that Britain is still a 19th Century superpower and that bestowing titles is something still deemed important."

Pakistan, however, is not content with simply mocking the Queen. They are demanding the knighthood for "services to literature" be reversed and encouraging Islamic countries to break ties with the UK. One government minister, Mohammad Ejaz ul-Haq, even threatened that suicide attacks would be justified to defend Islam.