Washington ? Congressional Democrats want to stop the Bush administration from pouring concrete for a proposed ballistic-missile defense system in Europe that’s riled U.S.-Russia relations this week at the Group of Eight summit in Germany.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blasted the plan and threatened to re-target Europe with nuclear weapons. But his sharp anti-American rhetoric isn’t the reason that Congress wants to block President Bush’s plan to start building the system in Europe before the end of his term.

Congressional Democrats voted to cut funds for a Europe-based missile-defense system earlier this spring because it’s still far from developed, tested and proved reliable. They also said the Bush administration shouldn’t go it alone on the long-range plan but rather should work it out with fellow NATO members.

The European missile-defense system – if it’s ever developed and proved to work – is intended to protect the United States and part of Europe from a long-range missile from Iran – if Iran develops or purchases one. Intelligence experts estimate that Iran isn’t likely to develop such a missile before 2015.