Bush 41's intervention in Kuwait started America down the long path of being mire in the quicksand of Middle East politics for the next 30 years ...
US troops in Saudi Arabi inspired an attack against them in Saudi Arabi as well as inspiring millions of Muslims take up jihad against the United States, including Osama bin Laden.
Kuwait was a former British protectorate/mandate without a protector in 1990.
It is in the long-term interest of the United States to be energy-secure and energy-independent so we don't have to sacrifice American bllod and treasure to keep OPEC in business.
No matter who rules the Middle East, if they want money, they'll sell the oil. If not, high prices will spur exploration to find new sources of hydrocarbons and alternatives to hydrocarbons.
For much of its history, Ukraine's territory was split among the Austrian Empire, the Russian Empire, and the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth.
Ukraine did not exist as an independent state until after WWI, but it was quickly reconquered by Red Army.
It wasn't until the creation of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine, that Ukraine existed as a political entity.
Saving Ukraine is more in Europe's, the E.U.'s, and NATO's interests than in America's interests. America happens to be the chump opening its checkbook while Europe lives under the umbrella of Pax Americana.