Though he does not believe violence along the U.S. Mexico border poses an “existential threat” to Americans, President Obama says he is considering deploying U.S. troops to the border area.

“Obviously there have been calls to increase National Guard troops on the borders,” Mr. Obama noted in an interview with Bob Schieffer on CBS News’ Face the Nation Sunday.

“That’s something that we are considering,” he said. “But we wanna first see whether some of the steps that we’ve taken can help quell some of the violence.”

The president said it is essential to continue consulting with the Mexican government.

SecDef Gates Says Mexico Not Close to Being ‘Failed State,’ Fox News Sunday:

WALLACE: A couple of more questions for the lightening round. Mexico.
The Pentagon issued a report in November on the growing drug violence there that said this, “An unstable Mexico could represent a homeland security problem of immense proportions to the United States.”

Mr. Secretary, how likely is that scenario that the Mexican government loses control of part of the country?

GATES: I don’t think that’s a likely scenario at this point. I think that a lot of the violence is among or between the cartels as they strive for control of certain areas in Mexico.

I think President Calderon has acted with enormous courage and forcefully in sending troops in to try and get control of that situation. And I think that – as I think Admiral Blair testified just in the last couple of days, I think that the chances of the Mexican government losing control of some part of their country or becoming a failed stated is – are very low.

Tribune’s ‘Swamp’ Has Full Interview