The Czech Republic has announced it’s close to signing the opening agreements on hosting the Bush administration’s proposed European missile shield. The administration calls the shield a defense measure against a potential attack from Iran, but it’s widely seen as a first-strike weapon. Public opinion polls continue to show majority opposition to the missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland, the other planned host. The Polish government is asking the U.S. to finance Poland’s own military air expansion in return for its involvement.