On Friday, the "total public outstanding" debt, which tallies the accumulation of money used to bridge budget gaps, reached almost $9.15 trillion. With the current U.S. population toppling 303 million, that's $30,114.14 owed by every man, woman and child.

According to the Associated Press, the ongoing wars in Iraq and Aghanistan, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will cost $2.4 trillion by 2017, and compounding interest rates are only exacerbating the problem, which could trigger a nationwide economic disaster in the very near future.

The national deficit stood at $5.7 trillion when President Bush took office in January 2001, and, at current rates, it could reach $10 trillion before his current term expires in January 2009.(ahn)

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