How do our decision makers manage such appalling timing.
And why was a knighthood bestowed anyway ?
So he wrote a couple of books , made a lot of money no doubt from the publicity and cost ratepayers a huge amount in protection.
We seem to be in a celebrity culture where those who are famous get more and those who have done something special get forgotten !
I feel a "U" turn is in order and the honour should be removed.
Along, perhaps, with many other unearned honours.

John Morrish, Derby, England

Whether it is deserved or not, Britain simply cannot withdraw its knighthood honor. That would ensure that everytime a specific group of people rejected an idea or decision, all they would have to do is proclaim a death threat. I understand the violence has gone well beyond threats at this point, but extremists are not motivated by reason. Why would anyone assume the fatwa will be withdrawn if Britain withdraws Rushdie's title?

The flames are burning intensely. Any decision now is likely to fan them.

Amie McNamara, Dallas, USA / TX

I totally agree with Bill. Islamic radicals are complete hypocrites! I fail to see how one mans opinion (Rushdie) could affect these peoples lives so much that they wish him dead. Its ridiculous. Im sick of religion. Its all a bunch of fairy tales. Complete nonsense!

Jenny, UK,

I'm with you, Benjamin of London. Lets base it on the song by John Lennon, 'IMAGINE'.

Glyn, Newport, South Wales

I was born as a muslim in a muslim country. I came to UK to fight the extremists who were killing moderate muslims, with the help of the British government.
Then, these extremists turned against the British government and killed more than 50 innocents people in London.
I was calling for years and years for the arrest of these extremists PUBLICLY and putting my life in danger ( i have fetwas against me ) before they can strike. In vain.
I never had any protection from the British. I still live in fear of being killed by these fanatics...
Rushdie wrote a fictional book. The extremists made him a "best seller". The Government made him Sir.
What he did for the sake of Britain and the British people?
What he did for humanity to desserve a knighthood?
More than £10 milions were spent for his security.
Oh yes, sorry about it. Double standard....
I wish I went to America to fight the extremists-terrorists instead of coming to UK....

RedBond, London, England

UK! Your country is as good as dead! We in states look at you like the canary in the mine they use to detect gas pockets. If the canary dies, the miners get out. France is already gone. There may be hope for you.

Better get on the ball and quit the appeasment.

Does the name Chamberlain ring a bell?

Chris, Chicago, Il

I find it surprising that, of that generation of novelists, Rushdie should have been given a Knighthood before Ian McEwen or Martin Amis.

Charles Stephens, London,

Is there anything that doesn't inflame the Muslim world? Religion as a whole is not to blame for their insanity.

Carol, Minneapolis, MN

If Salman Rushie would be clever, he would reject this award of colonialism. But I'm sure he will not, as this trophy fits extremely well his super-ego of an arrogant enfant terrible.
Sad is, however, that Queen Elizabeth does not seem to reflect on this polemic issue.

Joachim Kappert, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

I will say, England also has a knack for sticking their fist in a hornet's nest .

RC, Fremont,

Stop the PC crap! The Muslims feel they are the only group on the planet that have the right to kill someone if their beliefs are criticized. The Muslim world needs to join the modern world and the Europeans need to take their collective heads out of the sand and confront Islamic radicals.

Bill, New York, USA

Salmon is a Hero in the truest sense. He is one that has risked his life to bring a persective that we might have never known. His willingness to tell the truth has been an enlighment to all that have taken the time to read his books and columns. The man has an insight that taken against the liberal view gives us at the very least a balance.

Steve Turner, Vancouver, WA

Hooray for the Brits! I could care less that Rushdie may not be a great writer. I also could care less that some Muslims find him insulting. I am sure they could care less that I find THEM insulting, but I do. So how about let's leave it at that, eh? No such luck. The people who think pride demands that they throw someone off a roof whenever their prickly honor is insulted will not let go. Their capacity for insult and lethal response to insult knows no limitis. Nor, judging from some remarks here, does the capacity for self-abasement on the part of those who do not want to offend Islam, no matter what the cost to THEIR honor. So I say, hooray for the plucky Brits. Nothing has made me question the wisdom of the American Revolution, and nothing ever will, but this does give me pause.

Jonathan Burack, Stoughton, USA/Wisconsin

How could any religion justify killing in the name of God. Let God decide who is to be killed not Pakistani or Iranian minsters. Why don't they work to alleviate poverty and horrendous human rights issues in their own countries without playing God, What about all the sectarian killing that is going on in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq, why don't these stupid peple issue a fatwa for those things.

Faqi, London, UK

The "Religon of Peace" once again shows the world it is anything but a religon of peace. In order to get respect one has to give respect.

Bruce, Minneapolis, USA

This outrageous threat by the Muslim world only illuminates the differences of culture. I am not surprised to see some suggest not 'rocking the boat' since it seems that the media worldwide takes a careful approach to criticism of Islam and the terrorism done in it's name. However, free speech is BASIC to the rights of every individual and any move at all to appease this way of thinking is dangerous beyond worlds.

L. Davis, Geneva, New York

It's no good drawing up a contrast between "Eastern" and "Western" values over the question of censorship on this issue. The first trip-wire we come across, in attempting to do so, is the fact that the UK is not the USA. Britain is not a secular republic, but a Christian monarchy, and blasphemy is technically an offence under English law. Bearing in mind the fact that the next coronation could well take place within the next decade, we should be supporting HRH the Prince of Wales in his quest to reassure the Muslim community that they are welcome in the UK.

Edmund Burke, Kingston upon Thames, England

Gosh, we might refuse to buy a book and even suggest our friends not to buy a book, but I've never wished death on an offensive author, and my government or pastor has never called for such a thing. I'm so proud to be an American and have good friends called the British. I'm thankful for CIVILIZED governments.

Elaine, Houston, TX

We in the "west" continue to be puzzled by the "anger in the Muslim world." It never ends. Movie makers are stabbed to death in Amsterdam. Buildings fall. Reporters are beheaded. So what? Maybe if we just try a little harder to understand, the Muslim world will be less angry. Well, I think Winston Churchill has already said it best: An appeaser is the man who feeds the crocodile, in the hopes he will be the last eaten, or words to that effect. We need to face the fact that the Muslim world is well armed, well trained and well financed. They mean it when they say they want to kill us.

billy, Knoxville, Tn. USA

Why has Rushdie received this honour,- for writing books or for inflaming the Muslim world?

Rose, Laxanada, Greece

Iran criticised the knighthood, saying praising the "apostate" showed Islamophobia among British officials.

Isn't it obvious for anybody to have fear of Islam when the leader of Iran passes death sentences to nationals of other countries? Salman Rushdie has been living underground for too many years and deserves his freedom and knighthood. I wonder why United Nations haven't done anything about the fatwa issue. How can a country like Iran be allowed membership when it refuses to follow international laws and is abusing the basic human rights of its own people and others? But then of course, they also allow membership of countries like Saudi Arabia too, with their public beheadings, eye gouging, amputations, flogging, stoning of rape victim women to death etc etc.

Peter, Tampere, Finland

This just furthers my overall dislike for Religions in general. However they are fine if kept in check and remain the vehicle for the conveyance of peace and humility.
However, Acting as a control mechanism, religion only serves the advancement of those at the top....Much like a "democratic" government.

I'd like to start a religion called "Lets just be nice to each other". It would be free to join, you wont go to hell or heaven, you wont hold what you think is the "absolute truth" and if you dont particpate then you end up with frown wrinkles. Who's with me?

Benjamin, London, UK

How come you never hear of any Muslem comedians?

Tim, Sadsack/IA, USA

Rushdie is a British citizen and must be in a free country awarded all the same opportunities as any other citizen.The reaction in the Muslim world shows that the way the majority interpret the Koran is barbaric,savage and totally uncivilised.
Personally,I am incencesd by the bruning of Christian churches and the killing of Christains in Pakistan and Iraq,but I don not advocate murder as the solution.
If the the West and particularly the EU, continue to appease the Muslim world it will only encourage them in their attacks on us.I know I lived 20yrs in the Middle East and witnessed the frightening growth of the evil Islamists.

RG James, Brasschaat, Belgium

As Mr Wilde said, "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written." Personally I think that Satanic Verses is a badly written book, but not so bad that the author deserves to be put to death!
The reaction of some (most?) Muslim countries does nothing to promote Islam as a religion and only stirs up Islamaphobia in the west.

Barry Mellish, Bromley, UK

Only fools will support the knighting of Rushdie, let think and respect islam,the British govetment is doing this to bring new tenstion may be to get new war or to give Mr Brown new PM a hard Time.
think about the £10 million security from the tax payer were by there are less police officers in the street of london and main cities to protected it own citizens.

john Banks, cape Town, south Frica

If the British Establishment were really sincere in their purported love of Free Speech, then a knighthood to British Historian David Irving would be in order. Irving is a much better and far more important writer than Rushdie, and paid the price of 16 months of incarceration in an Austrian prison.

Aftab A. Malik, Esq., Beverly Hills, CA

Might be better if in future all such honours are submitted to the Pakistani government for approval before being signed off by the Queen. Come to think of it why not have a similar system for all UK government appointments (politicians, judges etc) and all literary and artistic awards (BAFTAs etc). In this way anyone critical of Islam can be weeded out of the selection process at an early stage. Surely such a "minor" infringement of our civic liberties would be worthwhile if it spared any offended Muslim the necessity of burning the Union Jack in public or detonating himself. Or perhaps not.

David, Leeds, UK

You have to admire the Brits and the Queen for their willingness to make a move regardless of the reaction. I fully support the knighting of Rushdie, something that probably would have not happened here in the PC USA, and if it burned the tail feathers of these muslim extremeists then so much the better. Guess what Iran, sending brainwashed individuals into innocent crowds with bombs strapped on them in an attempt to kill as many people as possible, in my humble opinion, is a tad bit worse than writing a book. If you want to change the way you and your religon is preceived in the west, then you might want to look at your tactics.

Michael Rash, Lansing, NC - USA

I intend to buy Satanic Verses on Amazon.com this evening; out of spite of course. Congrats Salmon!

Mike, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

THIS IS WHY BRITAIN IS GREAT

G,E,Rolyat, Brooklyn, NY / USA

The fact that the book is banned in muslim countries is of relative importance, but to me it's outrageous that the book is banned in India where muslim are a minority if compared to the overall population.
It is altogether outrageous that in the 21st century there are communities supported by national states who carry out a terrorist approach to culture. What lies beyond their narrow boundaries of understanding is deemed to be illegal! Or even worse unfaithful.
As citizen of Europe we should fight this extreme form of ignorance and intolerance, especially as it is affecting our way of life in our own land.

Vin, Manchester,

I have read several of Rushdie's books, including The Satanic Verses, and found them rather shallow and self-indulgent. Without the violent reaction by muslim zealots, he would have remained a minor literary author with little or no impact on the larger world. Controversy made the man.

Larry, montgomery village, MD - USA

How is it possible to position Islam as a peaceful religon when it's leaders issue and continue to support a death sentence for the author of a work of fiction?

Jerry, New York, NY