Yamashita's Gold and the CIA

This is far from the "beginning" of the CIA's independent budgetary exploits, but it may have been one of the more lucrative "spare tank" ops following the second world war. From there, the manipulation of drug traffic became a steady supply of funds to allow expansive demolition of all perceived threats to the American Empire's dominance. It is more than ironic that the Emperor now uses "drug trafficking" control as a pretext to start yet another war for strategic control of resources and position.