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You enlist in the US Army.
You want to serve your country, learn a trade, see the world, wear fatigues.
After training, you’re sent to Iraq.
Two weeks in country, you‘re sent on a patrol.
Your vehicle is struck by an IED. It’s not adequately armored because the DoD is trying to hold down the expense of bringing Democracy to the Iraqis.
You are wounded. In the disorder resulting from the attack, you lose your helmet.
You’re medevacked to Germany. One of your limbs is amputated.
You go home. A hero. You’ve sacrificed on the altar of Democracy.
After a while, you get a bill from the government for the cost of your lost helmet.
According to the book, The Three Trillion Dollar War’ by Nobel laureate and former chief World Bank economist, Joseph Stiglitz, and co-author Linda Bilmes of Harvard University, that’s just what happens.
You defaulted on your contract with the government to serve three years by getting injured too soon, thus ending your service before the contract allowed.
Pay up you deadbeat.
