Other poor countries, especially in Africa, are buried in debt amassed by ruthless dictators.

The governments of many of these countries find their progress impeded by the weight of the debt amassed by their predecessors.

Its bus businesses make money, but not enough to cover the interest on $3.3 billion of mostly public debt amassed in failed growth plans during the 1990's.

Although Brooke Group is saddled with $375 million long-term debt amassed from various corporate deals, investors have actually profited handsomely over the years.

Second, businesses, which spent the earlier part of the recovery paying down the debt amassed during the dot-com boom, would again start investing in new equipment.

Many such companies have been among the hardest hit in the Asian downturn, struggling to pay debts amassed during a decade-long privatization boom.

For example, debt amassed by both individuals and corporations stands at excessive levels.

Kirch Holding, the parent company, is struggling under $5.7 billion in debts, largely amassed in an aggressive push into pay television.

He attributed some of the increase to lawyers looking for work but some, too, to debts amassed in the 1980's.

Foreign banks could have responded by making a deal on the gigantic foreign debt amassed by the earlier military regimes to fight the Falklands War and buy political support.