Well, one of his ancestors was instructed by the then Sultan Abdul Hamid I in the late 18th century to fix the already ailing Ottoman empire's finances.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Sitting in the chair just inches away from Minister Hamid, I couldn't help but think about the thousands of dead Darfurians and the fact that one of his colleagues, a former interior minister named Ahmed Haroun was wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

CNN: Darfur diary: Unreliable testimony

This week, I welcomed President Hamid Karzai to the White House to discuss the way ahead in Afghanistan.

WHITEHOUSE: Weekly Address: Ending the War in Afghanistan and Rebuilding America | The White House