Despite Drug Wars, Mexico Is Not in Danger of Collapse, Obama's Spy Chief Says

The Mexican government may be facing its most pressing challenge in decades as it deals with rampant drug cartel violence, but it is not about to join the ranks of "failed states" like Afghanistan and Somalia, says President Obama's top intelligence adviser.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair reiterated today that the United States' southern neighbor is not facing imminent collapse. "Mexico is in no danger of becoming a failed state," said Blair told a small group of reporters. "Let me make that clear," he added, repeating the intelligence community's assessment for emphasis.

Mexican officials have said that dire public warnings in the past few months damaged investment and tourism in their nation, both of which are critical sources of economic stability as the drug war rages. Blair said the goals of U.S. efforts both north and south of the border are to increase the Mexican government's capacity to break the strength of the cartels.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raised eyebrows during a trip to Mexico yesterday, declaring in a speech there that it was U.S. addicts who were fueling the violence, an unusual admission from such a senior official. "Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," she said. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians."

More than 1,000 people have died in cartel-related violence this year.

Blair talked with reporters at the DNI headquarters on a wide range of issues that dominate his daily briefings with the president. Breaking with his predecessors, the president also receives a regular economic brief from the intelligence community on the state of the world's financial health. Blair's news of late has not been optimistic. The world's economic health "hasn't turned around yet," Blair said.

The spy community is also closely watch developments in North Korea as the government there appears to be preparing to launch a Taepodong rocket.

"North Korea is attempting to demonstrate an ICBM capacity through a space launch," he said. The device now being prepared is, "in its foundation, a military missile," Blair said. Other U.S. officials have say they expect the launch itself sometime early next month.

"Most of the world understands the game that they [the North Koreans] are playing," he said. "They're risking an international opprobrium if they successfully launch it."

• Read "In Mexico's Seething Drug Wars, New Alarm About Violence Moving North."