The Bush administration is vowing to continue with its controversial missile defense system in Eastern Europe regardless of approval from NATO allies. Under the plan, Poland would host a battery of up to 10 ballistic missiles while the Czech Republic would host a radar facility. The proposals have set off protests across Europe. On Thursday, Missile Defense Agency director, Lt. General Henry Obering, said the U.S. has other alternatives if current plans are rejected.

Missile Defense Agency director, Lt. General Henry Obering: “We are still in discussions with the United Kingdom. They are participants in our program and have been for quite a while. The door is not closed on that in terms of those discussions. We are certainly still talking to the United Kingdom. But the Czech Republic and Poland are the optimum locations for this. If for some reason, but we have every reason to believe that these discussions will be successful; but if for some reasons they are not, there are other alternatives we can go to; but they are not the optimum.”