# Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are getting a pay cut. :MAD: **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 14, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173 "2003-08-14T16:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kputt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@kputt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kputt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/1 "2003-08-14T16:22:10Z")
> **[Troops in Iraq face pay cut / Pentagon says tough duty bonuses are budget-buster](https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Troops-in-Iraq-face-pay-cut-Pentagon-says-tough-2561448.php)** > > The Pentagon wants to cut the pay of its 148,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, who are already... This is totally ludicrous. Soldiers don’t even bring home enough money to live on. What does the Pentagon, DoD, and White House expect them to live. They send them over to Iraq based on lies to die to protect our freedoms (of course, all a lie), and then they don’t even pay them enough. Budget woes my butt. Some of these politicians need to get off their high horses and take the pay cuts themselves. I don’t believe a single politician anymore when they say they are having budget problems when they in turn vote for a huge raise for themselves each year. I just will not believe them and now the government is starting to make me sick! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![kputt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@kputt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kputt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/2 "2003-08-14T16:24:10Z")
The government normally doesn’t make me angry, but they did this time. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/3 "2003-08-14T16:34:08Z")
If it’s true, that’s pretty fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/4 "2003-08-14T16:59:37Z")
WTF did you expect? Us civilians are getting it up the ass from the Bush administration. The poor saps in Iraq are getting it without lube. Do you think Bush cares any for what he considers tools of the administration? One thing on the bright side though, at least they still have a job. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/5 "2003-08-14T17:10:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrTuffPaws \* > One thing on the bright side though, at least they still have a job. If it doesn’t kill them, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![kputt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@kputt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kputt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/6 "2003-08-14T17:13:46Z")
Maybe I jumped the gun. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/7 "2003-08-14T17:19:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrTuffPaws \* > **Do you think Bush cares any for what he considers tools of the administration?** No, but I bet he worries about bad PR, and giving service men in hot zones a paycut is about as bad PR as you could ask for. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/8 "2003-08-14T17:29:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kputt \* > \*\*Maybe I jumped the gun. \*\* I don’t think so. The Army times ran an editorial on the pay cuts back in June. [Here’s a copy](http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8262). The story has surfaced repeatedly since then. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/9 "2003-08-14T17:54:16Z")
I know some of you will call me a Bush apologist or whatever because that’s just the cut of your jib, but I don’t care. Here’s what I think about this: 1. The article calls it a “pay cut” just for the emotional impact of that term. What really happened is that service members were awarded a pay increase in April _that phases out automatically in September unless something is done to reinstate it_, and now the administration is thinking of not doing what needs to be done to reinstate it. That’s a lot different than the administration lowering their salary or something like that, which is what the term “pay cut” conjures up. 2. The article linked to is a blatant attempt to play on the emotions of readers by discussing things that are totally unrelated to the pay situation (e.g., quoting a woman who is worried about her son, quoting soldiers about how scared they are, etc.) which I find repulsive. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/10 "2003-08-14T18:07:40Z")
Man, this is a political lightning rod. You think some pol would be pounding the podium over this, trying to make themselves look good. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/11 "2003-08-14T18:14:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*No, but I bet he worries about bad PR, and giving service men in hot zones a paycut is about as bad PR as you could ask for. \*\* BINGBINGBINGBINGBING We have a winner! With the election only what, 15 months away, the administration will NOT want to piss off one of their primary voting blocks: members of the armed services. This ‘bonus pay’ is as temporary as a out-of-work brother-in-law. Not only will it be re-approved there won’t even be much resistance to it. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/12 "2003-08-14T18:27:37Z")
They have more important uses for some of that money: [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE\_ID=34042](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34042) ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/13 "2003-08-14T18:30:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TaxGuy \* > \*\* The article calls it a “pay cut” just for the emotional impact of that term. What really happened is that service members were awarded a pay increase in April _that phases out automatically in September unless something is done to reinstate it_, \*\* A soldier make X dollars a week. Then he makes Y dollars less. The pay is lower. How is this not a pay cut? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/14 "2003-08-14T18:30:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*BINGBINGBINGBINGBING > > We have a winner! With the election only what, 15 months away, the administration will NOT want to piss off one of their primary voting blocks: members of the armed services. > > This ‘bonus pay’ is as temporary as a out-of-work brother-in-law. Not only will it be re-approved there won’t even be much resistance to it. \*\* This most likely answers my other question. Since this is a no brainer to pass, no one is being vocal about this, because there isn’t anyone against it that they can contrast themselves against and look better. ---
**Author:** ![kputt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@kputt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kputt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/15 "2003-08-14T18:38:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by seal\_clubber \* > \*\*They have more important uses for some of that money: > > [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE\_ID=34042](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34042) \*\* If that’s true, then that makes me sick. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/16 "2003-08-14T18:42:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by seal\_clubber \* > \*\*A soldier make X dollars a week. > Then he makes Y dollars less. > The pay is lower. > How is this not a pay cut? \*\* Because a “pay cut” to me means that the employer takes something away from the employee. Here, the administration is not taking anything away from the soldiers. The program passed in April was a temporary pay increase that automatically phased out. Say I say to you that you can drive my car around for a week if you mow my lawn. You mow my lawn, and I give you my car. A week later, I go to your place and want my car back. Can you say in this situation that I am taking your car or that I’m divesting you of some right you acquired? No way. All you got was the use of the car for a week. Similarly, all the soldiers got was a pay increase from April to September. It’s not as simple as you make it out to be above. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/17 "2003-08-14T18:44:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kputt \* > \*\*If that’s true, then that makes me sick. \*\* Jesus. I give up on you people. We’d need lots more facts than those given in this article to determine if the bonus was improper or anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![kputt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@kputt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kputt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/18 "2003-08-14T18:46:20Z")
Fine, you life the life of a soldier and see what you get. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/19 "2003-08-14T18:59:40Z")
Huh? ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173/20 "2003-08-14T19:12:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by seal\_clubber \* > \*\*They have more important uses for some of that money: > > [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE\_ID=34042](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34042) \*\* Summary or alternate link? That server doesn’t seem to be responding at the moment. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troops-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-getting-a-pay-cut-mad/195173.md?page=2)