Well, fortunately the USSR was disintegrating at the time, and the islamofascists were just getting on their feet. Saddam provided entertaining TV drama with his largely useless "third largest army in the world." Given the times, and aside from Desert Storm, doing nothing but bloviating at our friends was probably the best policy.
Fair enough. I think that Bush the elder was a lot smarter than his advisors. IT is still up to the PResidetn to come down with a final dcision. the current President surrounds himself with varying opinions from all sides and does what he beleive is best.