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War of words between President Trump, Kim Jong-un continues to escalate

Posted at 12:00 PM, Sep 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-24 20:18:55-04

Speaking in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations, President Donald Trump warned this week that the U.S. would "totally destroy North Korea" if forced to defend itself or its allies.

“I think President Trump definitely expressed a perhaps new vision, a vision where peace, prosperity, sovereignty and security at this juncture can only be achieved through militarization,” Dr. Robert Hazan told Anne Trujillo on this weekend’s Politics Unplugged. “Diplomacy is being viewed as perhaps a tool that has not worked and that we may really confront our enemies rather than try to negotiate with them.”

Dr. Hazan is the chair of the political science department at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

“I think that this administration does not have faith in diplomacy,” Hazan added. “That’s coming out very clearly. That’s compared to previous administrations that really looked at diplomacy as the main tool to negotiate and to get out of eventual war-like situations.”

While Hazan says Trump’s words show his disdain for North Korea’s leader, Hazan does not believe they were delivered in the appropriate venue.

“I don’t think world leaders should address each other in ways, especially at the General Assembly of the United Nations where it may undermine the potential for diplomacy,” he said, adding “This current war of words as it were really sets the tone for a far more aggressive nature in deliberations.”

Politics Unplugged airs Sundays at 4:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Denver7.