20 Years Later: WBTV veteran reporter reflects on the Iraq War

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – On March 20, 2003, the U.S. launched a ground invasion of Iraq.

The promise was to end the dictatorial rule of President Saddam Hussein and destroy alleged weapons of mass destruction in the country.

Within weeks, Saddam’s regime fell but the U.S. didn’t find any weapons of mass destruction. It fueled a lot of resentment from the Iraqi people and a long and violent uprising against U.S. forces followed.

The war didn’t end until 2011. In the eight years of boots on the ground, 4,700 U.S. and allied troops and more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians were killed.

WBTV sent veteran reporter Steve Ohnesorge to Iraq three times to cover the war, twice in 2004 and once in 2005. He was alongside North Carolina National Guard troops.

Ohnesorge got a first-hand look as they went through, taking his camera inside one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces after he was captured.

There was a moment of levity; here’s a photo of Ohnesorge inside Saddam’s tub.

Twenty years later Steve says he still has a vivid memory of his time in Iraq, speaking about it with On Your Side Tonight.

Watch the video above for more on how this experience impacted him and the soldiers he traveled with.

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