The co$t of war.

In this Nov. 8, 2007 file photo, wounded soldiers involved in physical therapy wait for President Bush to visit a physical therapy lab for wounded soldiers at the Center For The Intrepid at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Lines of U.S. troops are limping away from the military with damaged bodies and minds, a surging increase in disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come _ even as the total of America's vets from all wars has begun to shrink. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) AP Photo/Gerald 

May 11, 2008
By CBS News

Increasing numbers of U.S. troops (click here) have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the country billions of dollars for decades to come - even as the total population of America's veterans shrinks.

Despite the decline in the total number of veterans - as soldiers from World War II and Korea die - the government expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured warriors in 25 years, up from today's $29 billion, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press. And the Veterans Affairs Department concedes the bill could be much higher.

Why?

Worse wounds. More disabilities. More vets aware of the benefits and quicker to file for them.

Also, ironically, advanced medical care. Troops come home with devastating injuries that might well have killed them in earlier wars....