Just looked up Iraq Kuwaiti relations on Wiki and saw two crises prior to 1990, in 1961 & 1973:
Ever since Kuwaiti independence in 1961, the Iraqi governments sought various opportunities to occupy and annex Kuwait. A short-lived crisis evolved in 1961, as the Iraqi government threatened to invade Kuwait and the invasion was finally averted following plans by the Arab League to form an international Arab force against Iraqi designs on Kuwait.
Another crisis evolved on 20 March 1973, when Iraqi army units occupied El-Samitah near the Kuwaiti border, which evoked an international crisis. The Iraqi forces eventually withdrew under Saudi pressure.
Love this concept though, and to add to the mix, in the earlier scenarios would western forces have been based in Iran too because this was before the 1979 revolution?