( CNN ) -- U.S. and NATO forces are engaged in a futile war against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan , Canada 's prime minister said . Canadian leader Stephen Harper says he backs President Obama 's `` renewed commitment to Afghanistan . '' `` We are not going to ever defeat the insurgency , '' Stephen Harper told CNN 's Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday . `` Afghanistan has probably had -- my reading of Afghanistan history -- it 's probably had an insurgency forever , of some kind . '' Harper 's blunt assessment comes as nearly 2,800 Canadian forces are fighting in Afghanistan . The country 's parliament has voted to pull them out by 2011 . Harper spoke with Zakaria last week after a visit by President Obama , who made Canada his first foreign trip since taking office in January . Obama has said Afghanistan is the central front to the U.S.-led war on terror . The Pentagon is in the process of sending an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan , bringing the total there to 55,000 . Harper told CNN that he supports Obama 's `` renewed commitment to Afghanistan '' but said he would not recommit any more Canadian troops until there is a clear plan for leaving Afghanistan . `` What has to happen in Afghanistan is , we have to have an Afghan government that is capable of managing that insurgency and improving its own governance , '' Harper said . `` If President Obama wants anybody to do more , I would ask very hard questions about what is the strategy for success and for an eventual departure . ''
Prime Minister Stephen Harper : `` We are not going to ever defeat the insurgency '' Canada 's parliament has voted to pull its troops from Afghanistan by 2011 . Harper says he supports President Obama 's `` renewed commitment to Afghanistan '' But Harper says he wo n't recommit more troops until there 's a clear plan for leaving .