The USS Stark incident occurred during the Iran–Iraq War on 17 May 1987.
It was still an unprovoked attack on a US Navy ship. Remember when the USS Pueblo was attacked? Nothing was done.
With STARK, Saddam sent a message for us to keep out. It only cost a couple of dozen US Navy lives, so what’s to worry about!
Then there was Gerald Bull and his Super Canon for Saddam.
It seems Bull died of lead “poisoning”, a few .22s behind the ear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Bull
“The co-operation between Bull and Saddam Hussein was an immediate threat to Iran and Israel as Iran had endured an eight-year-long war with Iraq, and Israel had had previous military engagements with Iraq during the Arab–Israeli war.
Watching development of the gun, Israel feared it could be used to launch nuclear weapons, but the re-designed SCUD missiles were of greater concern at that moment. As for Iran, it was under threat from both Bull’s supergun and his re-designed SCUD missiles.[29][30]”