[Velshi:] All right. Today's key summit between President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon taking place at the White House. President Obama is setting an optimistic tone, but the issue is how, exactly, are we going to solve this problem? I'm joined by Rafael Romo, who's a senior Latin American affairs editor here at CNN. And by Ed Henry who is standing by at the White House. Ed, first of all, this has this has sort of tones of what happens with Afghanistan for instance. The president goes out on his way to say that we are we are supporting Mexico. We want to solve the problem that creates the gangland warfare, but the reality is, it's just not that easy to do.
[Ed Henry, Cnn Correspondent:] It's not. And to use your Afghanistan model with President Karzai just here last week, you know, sure, would the U.S. want President Karzai to be doing more to crack down on corruption in his own administration in Afghanistan? Sure. But this is a leader they have to work with, and they've got to push and work as best they can. Likewise, President Calderon, they would like to see the Mexican government doing more to stop the spread of guns and drugs across the border. U.S. working with the leader they have, first of all, while also insisting, as President Obama just did that a short time ago in the Rose Garden, that we're putting unprecedented resources at the border to shut it down. The president saying illegal immigration is down, not up. And also pointing out he that is taking a close look at this new Arizona law to make sure it doesn't foster discrimination.
[Velshi:] All right. Rafael, let's talk about this a little bit. What can Felipe Calderon do? He, first of all, has said he doesn't like this Arizona immigration law. President Obama said the same thing. There's no disagreement between them there. But really, if you peel this back, it does all stem back to problems in Mexico, the warfare that has spread into some border states in the United States. What can they actually do other than show up at the White House and play nice with each other?
[Rafael Romo, Cnn Senior Latin Affairs Editor:] Well, the argument of President Calderon is that the reason why we have so much violence in Mexico is because the drug cartels are acting like a wounded bear, and what happens when you wound a bear? It lashes out and attacks you. So they say they are weakened. Our strategy is working. And it's just a matter of time, which is keeping doing the same thing before we can defeat them. Obviously, in Mexico it's an argument that doesn't fly very well with the opposition parties. But that's what the administration will tell you.
[Velshi:] But what can does Mexico have some strategy whereby they can deal with this wounded bear?
[Romo:] They have a strategy, and the strategy has been for the last three years to deploy 50,000 troops throughout the country. But the problem, according to President Calderon, what he's been saying is that it should be a shared solution because we the problem of drug violence in Mexico is fueled by demand in the United States. And if the demand doesn't change, drug cartels are likely to continue operating the way they have.
[Velshi:] And, Ed, is there some sense that the U.S. and Mexico can work together on solving the demand side as well as the supply side?
[Henry:] Well, they certainly hope that they can. And the president, as you noted, President Obama was trying to strike an optimistic tone but was also gently prodding and saying that there's got to be more development on the Mexican side of the border so that people don't want to be making money on these illicit drug and gun trades, and also to try to crack down on illegal immigration. But let's face it. We've heard this before, not just from this administration but the previous administration and the one before it, as well. This has been a long-term problem. The U.S. government hasn't done a good job, long-term, of really shutting it down, Ali.
[Velshi:] So Rafael, have we moved any distance forward on this whole thing? I mean, this is going to be a state dinner tonight, obviously. These are two countries with remarkably close historical relations. But in terms of the problems that face the Mexican- American relationship, and that is that is drugs; that is violence; that is immigration, are we any closer to it as a result of the summit?
[Romo:] Most definitely. There's a lot of cooperation between both presidents. For example, since President Calderon took office, more than 300 Mexican criminals have been extradited to the United States, and there have been operations against drug cartels that have been done in a joint manner. So there have been significant victories, three top drug cartels that have been arrested within the last six months alone. But again, is this enough? And will President Calderon have enough time in the 2 12 years that he has left in his administration to really tackle this problem?
[Velshi:] And when you say is it enough, is it does it show some sort of trend where we're seeing an attack on the violence in these Mexican border states?
[Romo:] Not necessarily, no. The violence specifically in places like across the border from El Paso, Texas, is worse than ever. Last year we had 2,600 deaths there. This year is more than 800 so far. So it's not getting any better, but like I said before, the argument of the Mexican government is that the cartels are desperate then, so they have become more violent than ever.
[Velshi:] All right. Rafael, thanks very much. Rafael Romo is our senior Latin affairs American affairs editor. Ed Henry at the White House, our senior White House correspondent. We'll, of course, be checking in with him a little later on. All right. There doesn't seem to be any quick fix for Europe's debt crisis. Investors know that more than anyone else. Once again, they are showing it. We'll take stock of that situation right ahead.