Number one is that the US war is being financed with borrowed money. No one is having to pay for it now. In previous wars Presidents raised taxes to cover as much of the cost as possible with current revenues. Bush and the Republican Congress cut taxes for the wealthy during "wartime". That's a part of his legacy which isn't subject to spin.

The other is the lack of a draft. That is despite the US military being undermanned and not equipped to fight to more than a standstill in two ragtag, two-bit wars. However, people don't have to worry about their sons and daughters being dragged off to fight. The result is the tendency for the military to employ those ill-equipped to find jobs in the civilian market. Only a bit more than 70% of the enlistees have a high school diploma. The target is 90%. And 12% need a "moral waiver". Those "waivers" are for people who would ordinarily excluded, mostly felons. This is another telling and undeniable part of the Bush legacy.

A corollary is the re-enlistment "bonuses" given people. Large sums of money given to poorer people to encourage retention.

I seriously doubt that if the US public had to pay for the war more or less as it goes and if middle- and upper-class kids were being forced to fight there would be no war.

Arf