And there was the whole "Saddam asking the US ambassador what the US would do if Iraq invaded Kuwait, to which the Ambassador, relaying the words of President Bush, said that 'The US would consider it an Arab matter.'" Translation: Not our problem.

There was also the whole Kuwait giving Saddam money to fight Iran for them, who was also threatening Kuwait during the Iran-Iraq war and so Saddam said he could provide troops and fight for them if they assisted financially, and then demanding he pay them back *with interest*. To wit, he said, "Hold my arak and watch this," in true Mid-East redneck fashion.