Prime Minister Stephen Harper spent his first day on the ground in Afghanistan today meeting with soldiers and reaffirming Ottawa's commitment to the mission.

"I want Canada to be a leader," he told about 1,000 Canadian soldiers at the base of the multinational mission led by a Canadian general.

Harper's surprise visit to Afghanistan began on Sunday. He spent part of the day Monday visiting troops in their quarters and inspecting armoured vehicles.

Speaking to troops, he reaffirmed Ottawa's support to soldiers facing a stubborn insurgency, amid wavering support back home.

"There could be some who want to cut and run. But cutting and running is not my way. And it's not the Canadian way," he said.

"We don't make a commitment and then run away at the first sign of trouble. We don't, and we will not, as long as I'm leading this country."

On Sunday, NDP Leader Jack Layton called for discussion on Canada's involvement in Afghanistan in Parliament. But Harper said today that the mission was important for Canada's security.

"Your work is about more than just defending Canada's interests," he told the troops. "It's also about demonstrating an international leadership role for our country."

The prime minister's resolve was embraced by Canada's top general.

"There is no debate in the Canadian Forces about what this mission whatsoever. Ask these young men and women right here," Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier said.

High security

This is Harper's first foreign trip as prime minister. While other world leaders have visited the turbulent country, few have stayed overnight, or as long.

The prime minister is expected to travel to Kabul to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at some point. However, the details of Harper's visit have been shrouded in secrecy for security reasons.

CTV's Steve Chao, who has been in Afghanistan for the last six weeks, said he only learned of Harper's visit two hours before the PM arrived.

"The threat of an insurgent attack is very high, so he is surrounded by a high security detail," said Chao, reporting from Kandahar.

"Every minute of his trip is planned. Every second of his trip is planned.

"They are trying to make sure that the prime minister is safe, but at the same time, that he gets a first hand look at what the troops are doing."

Canada has 2,300 troops in the southern Afghanistan. They have increasingly become the target of insurgent attacks, that have escalated over the last few months.

Among the incidents; several soldiers were injured in a suicide bombing, another soldier was attacked and wounded by a man wielding an axe, and a Canadian diplomat was killed in January in a suicide bombing.

There have also been deadly vehicle accidents, including a collision between an armoured vehicle and a taxi that killed Cpl. Paul Davis and Cpl. Timothy Wilson.

Davis was buried last week, and Wilson is to be buried today in Shilo, Man., in a private funeral.

Soldiers pleased

Back in Afghanistan, Canadian soldiers were pleased by Harper's visit.

"It's a big deal for the boys, to let them know that people back home, especially the government, are thinking of us,'' said Warrant Officer John MacPherson.

Aside from providing a boost to the morale of troops, Harper also talked about Canada's role in promoting women's rights and building a democracy.

"These are important victories for the people of Afghanistan, and they represent things worth standing up for,'' he said.

CTV's Ottawa bureau chief Robert Fife, reporting from Kandahar, said the soldiers seem to be having a good time with the prime minister.

"It's hard to get the prime minister to show much emotion, but today you could see that he was clearly moved by the outreach in the soldiers," Fife told CTV's Canada AM.

"I mean, the soldiers just surrounded him everywhere he went. They wanted their pictures taken with him, some of them were joking."

Fife added that while this trip may have some political benefits for Harper, he believes it is really about recognizing the largest commitment of Canadian troops since the Korean War.

"It's a very, very dangerous mission, and I think the prime minister just wanted to come over and say, look, thank you for what you're doing here."

With files from The Canadian Press