WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he is considering new border security measures, including the possibility of National Guard deployments, to combat the spillover of violence by Mexican drug cartels.
In an interview with reporters, the president also defended his economic and budget proposals while dismissing Republican opposition in Congress with the observation that "it is easy to say no.''
Commenting on the border security issue, Mr. Obama noted that Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had met recently with his Mexican counterparts to assess the degree of the threat from the aggressive gangs.
While saying that he wanted to avoid "militarizing'' the nation's long southern border, Mr. Obama said:
"We're going to examine whether, and if, National Guard deployments would make sense and in what circumstances they would make sense as part of this overall review of our border situation.
