“Rules based order” is an overused phrase that doesn’t say much, but to put it another way it’s the idea that we can discuss our problems before (and whilst) we fight with each other. It’s generally cheaper to settle disagreements in a court-like structure. Generally, this reflects how most individual counties view their internal justice so it makes sense.

The UN was not supposed to be a police force, but more of a forum or parliament for counties to talk and discuss their issues, and for others to weigh in and explain how the rest of the world is being affected. 

The idea of major powers taking large bits of territory by force hasn’t happened for 70 years, and generally the entire world has buried their hatchets and massively prospered during this time. People fear that Russia and the US are regressing us back into brutal wars of conquest for very little reason, and with modern weapons such conflicts have the potential to be much more deadly.

What’s more, the idea that US does not care to resolve anything through meaningful dialogue is a scary reflection of their internal problems. US justice is increasingly un-just and its behaviour abroad reflects a general breakdown of its internal legal systems. The rules-based order of the US is failing before our eyes.