Anti-War Protesters Gather Outside Downtown LA Veterans Hospital

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A group of anti-war protesters Thursday gathered outside a veterans hospital in downtown Los Angeles just as President Obama announced he's sending 300 military advisers to Iraq.

The press conference was held at 10 a.m. at the VA Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center, 351 W Temple St.

Pat Alviso, the mother of a first sergeant in the Marine Corps, Corporal Mike Prysner, an Iraq war veteran, and other veterans from across Los Angeles spoke out against sending additional troops to the war-torn country.

"If we can't solve the problems that are going on in Iraq after over a decade of war, how can a few airstrikes possibly make any difference?" Alviso said.

Her son has been deployed five times to Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Every time being so scared when he was deployed in a certain area, and then you hear that there was a bombing in that area, you think it's your kid," she told CBS2's Adrianna Weingold.

Prysner was part of the initial invasion in Iraq more than a decade ago and believes at this point, American troops will only do more harm than good.

"What's happening today is a direct result of the bombing and the occupation and all the tactics that were used throughout the course of that war," he said. "To think that again, problems can be solved by more US bombs is completely ridiculous."

These protesters say they won't stop until all American troops are back home.