> comparing the actions of a democratic country that promotes rule of law globally (although I am well aware sometimes realpolitik and worse happens) versus a country that has no regard for a rules based order or anything other than increasing their own power seems like a false comparison

Are you aware that most of the world sees the US not as a country that promotes the rule of law but the one country that's the biggest risk to world peace? It has been like that for many years.

The US completely ignores and shits on every single rule it claims to uphold the very moment it becomes inconvenient to keep following it.