The Hill News

With only weeks remaining for Congress and the administration to deal with the unenviable task of coming to terms with our budget deficit and staggering debt, there is increasing pressure on all parties involved to make cuts, find savings and “make hard choices.” However, if there is one choice we must avoid, it is jeopardizing the care and benefits of our veterans. Doing so would break a sacred promise we made to those who volunteer in our armed forces to protect and defend all who make this country great.

A recently released report by Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies predicts that the total cost of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be at least $3.7 trillion, and could reach as high as $4.4 trillion â€" figures that could be shocking to people who don’t realize that the costs of war continue to mount even after the conflict ends and our military returns home.

Read more...