Thinkprogress:
The AP reports that despite a decline in total veterans “as soldiers from World War II and Korea die,” the government “expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured warriors in 25 years, up from today’s $29 billion,” according to internal documents. The VA “concedes the bill could be much higher” as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars go on:
Inflation accounts for a big chunk of the increase. But even when the VA factors out inflation, the compensation for disabled veterans would still grow from $29 billion to $33 billion in today’s dollars — a more than 10 percent increase. And the department acknowledges the estimate could rise by 30 percent.
Earlier this year, Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz predicted that a “lifetime health-care and counseling for veterans” from Iraq and Afghanistan could in part push the total cost of the wars to $5 trillion to $7 trillion, far higher than current expectations.
1 comment:
Don't look for many volunteers to the US Military in the future. After the way our current troops have been treated many young people wont join. Yes if the Law Makers think the draft will help it wont. Now the US will have to make a law that says chosen people will be ordered to serve yes it's those Democrats and Independents that will have to protect this country to show their Patriotism. Now as for Republicans and their families like Mitt's 5 son's they are safe and can even run for President. As for other Americans well they will have to go where their sent and stay there until they die it's all for the love of the country.
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