IIRC, Bush 1 gave Saddam the same type of nod-nod, wink-wink toward invading Kuwait as Biden did to Putin regarding Ukraine.
After all, the Cold War was winding down back then and the M-I-C needed a fresh target.
Bombing and rebuilding is great for business. 😛
Usually, the POTUS is a puppet.
The American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 was odd though.