It is important to point out that a significant part of the debt burden going forward is due to excessive spending and tax cuts in the recent past, and raising taxes will be needed to cover these past excesses.

ECONOMIST: Plugging the spending gap

Another potential complication is how the growing burden of financing the dividend could impact the dividend growth rate going forward.

FORBES: Connect

As they are increasingly partnered with Afghan commandos and police, special-operations troops are expected to see more casualties going forward as they take on the majority of the war's burden, Western officials say.

WSJ: NATO Helicopter Crash Kills 11 in Afghanistan