Will Soldiers Get Paid? 'I Honestly Can't Answer That Question,' Says JCS Chairman

From the UK’s Daily Mail:

Sorry guys, Washington doesn’t have your back

“American soldiers in Afghanistan have been warned they may not be paid after President Obama failed in an 11th-hour attempt to reach a settlement over the U.S. deficit.

In a crisis that has potentially devastating consequences for the world economy, the U.S. will run out of money to pay its bills next Wednesday unless squabbling Washington legislators raise the country’s $14.3 trillion ( 8.7tn) debt ceiling.

Troops fighting in Afghanistan have been told that the Obama administration is expected to make their salaries a lower priority than interest payments to foreign bond-holders.

More than $1.2 trillion of America’s vast debt is owned by China and another $328bn is owned by UK private investors and pension funds.

The Obama administration is expected to continue to pay them next month, along with pensioners.

Other social programmes, including medical care for the poor and help for the country’s unemployed, also will be fully funded, according to insiders.

But that will leave no money to pay federal employees, including troops. America’s top military official, Admiral Mike Mullen, delivered the stunning news to soldiers at a meeting at Kandahar air base in southern Afghanistan.

Asked if they will be paid if Mr Obama is unable to resolve the deadlock, he said: ‘I honestly can’t answer that question.”

The full story is here.