Don't See How US Can Ever Pay Off Debts (Jim Rogers) (cnbc.com)

Bankrupt means you can't pay interest due on your debts, not that you can't pay them off.

I don't believe sovereign nations ever pay off all their debts, any more than banks ever collect on all of their loans. In a dynamic financial system, the money never comes to rest with a full accounting. It's always moving. Rogers is likely just trying to bolster the value of his gold and commodities holdings.