1.   A strong military shield is the only way to keep Iraq from rebuilding large-scale capabilities to develop such weapons.

2.   For now, these countries need help building democracy and market economies, not a military shield against a hollow Russian army.

3.   He has proposed a full confederation of Russia and neighboring Belarus, which he says would be a military shield against eastward expansion of NATO.

4.   They get to keep their defense budgets low while they enjoy the protection of the U.S. military shield.