Also notable is the fact that the DEA's main function seems to be the escalation of drug prices in places where higher prices for drugs that are considered illegal serve US interests. For instance, in the months prior to the September 11th tragedy the US government negotiated with the Taliban to allow the installation of a DEA office in Afghanistan and the establishment of American style drug laws. This action quickly allowed the US backed Northern Alliance to build up cash for their military effort, as well as opening the door for the US to more easily negotiate an oil pipeline from the Caspian Sea through Afghanistan. Guess who else used these super-inflated drug prices as a bad-guy bake-sale... You guessed it, the infamous OBL (kind of like the ODB, but with more of a middle eastern accent and less rhythm). This makes me think that either the US knew Osama was getting money from higher drug prices and thought it was good idea (shudder) or, and this seems more likely considering the utter retardation one can witness daily on C-SPAN, the good ole US government just doesn't realize that by making it illegal for Billy to sell drugs means Billy can sell drugs for twice the price, and that his friend Joey might cotton on that drugs are a lucrative source of cash.