The main objective of the Gulf War was the liberation of Kuwait. That's why the war ended not long after Kuwait was free. President Bush (Senior) could of stayed and tried to finish off Saddam Hussein's regime, but he didn't because the job was done. You could argue the U.S had it's own reasons for wanting to protect Kuwait (Oil) but the bottom line is that the defense of Kuwait was indeed the main reason, selfish motives or no.
"liberation" and "freeing" are pretty loaded wars, don't use them. What we say the Attacking of Kuwait, many Arabs are guilty of calling it "Kuwait's Liberation". Yes, Kuwait was an American ally and a good stronghold against Iraq, but I think oil has quite a bit to do with it. Take a look.
All the blue countries (OPEC) are either allied to America (Ecuador, Arabia, Kuwait), in massive turmoil (Iraq; Libya; Nigeria) or declared foes to world peace by America (Iran, Venezuela). Other countries with quite a bit of oil: Canada (ally), Russia (foe).
Also, your mention of Ethiopia seems rather irrelevant to the topic. Intervening to protect/liberate one country does not obligate you to interfere in every single other war. Should something have been done about it? Maybe, but it would just add to the list of things people never stop beating the U.S over the head with. Also, the United States is not the U.N, nor does it have total control of it.
Well, I wasn't really trying to saying that. There's a whole bunch more where that came from. I'm saying that when Iraq invaded Kuwait (2-4 August 1990), ~500 Kuwaiti and Iraqi soldiers were killed, but the war would be over; Iraq and Kuwait would have no more oil disputes and share their wealth across the countries. Instead, NATO kills 24,000 more Iraqis, keeps warring it economically until 2003, when they war Iraq literally again.
Anyhow, my point is, the Gulf War could have been done with 1000 deaths. In the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, there were far more deaths in two already poorly developed countries (Ethiopia and Eritrea today rank 173 and 182, respectively, on UN HDI list). As you can imagine, the war was good to neither of them. West Double Standards, this is said.
The U.N has never been very effective and that's simply the nature of the beast.
Too true, mate.