Three quick questions about Iraq

A prize to the first person who can answer these questions:

1. Who are we fighting in Iraq? (And I mean who specifically--no points for "terrorists" or "evildoers," or whatever.)

2. Why are we fighting them? (That means, what strategic goals are we hoping to accomplish--no points for tautological answers like "because they are fighting us.")

3. How hard would it have been to answer that kind of question in 1944?