A half a world away from the Capitol Hill deadlock, the economy and debt crisis are weighing heavily on U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

And the top question on their minds Saturday even as bombings rocked the city around them, was one the top U.S. military officer couldn't answer: Will we get paid?

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a group of soldiers that he doesn't know.

He says he believes that the troops will eventually be paid what they are owed for their service. Still he acknowledges that waiting for their money would be difficult for troops who live paycheck to paycheck.

Questions on military spending and the how the ongoing budget struggles will impact them dominated Mullen's meetings with U.S. service men and women.