Q+A: What is happening in Afghanistan right now?

KABUL (Reuters) - The publication of tens of thousands of classified documents by whistleblower WikiLeaks has cast new light on Afghanistan -- particularly the impact of the war on civilians, and Pakistan's role in the conflict.

The leaks come a week after a major international conference in the Afghan capital set an ambitious 2014 timetable for the government to lead security operations across the country, in conjunction with a gradual withdrawal of foreign troops.

Following are some questions and answers about the situation today in the war-torn country:

WILL THE WIKILEAKS DISCLOSURES AFFECT THE COURSE OF THE WAR?

The war is already unpopular among nations that contribute to the 150,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and most are planning their exit. The contents of the documents revealed so far tell Afghans nothing they don't already believe -- that civilians are the main casualties of the war and Pakistan is covertly helping the Taliban fight it. In the United States, however, the leaks further complicate President Barack Obama's strategy at a time of mounting doubt over the war effort.

"The documents underscore the depth of Pakistani support (for the Taliban) and frustrations within the American military about that," said former CIA analyst Bruce Riedel, now with the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

"These WikiLeaks should not be used to say the strategy is doomed to failure," said Lisa Curtis of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank. "It is too early to say that."

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE TALIBAN AND THE INSURGENCY?

Since being overthrown in 2001 and mostly lying low for a couple of years, the Taliban have re-emerged as a formidable foe who have withstood the best military technology in classic insurgency style, with or by intimidating local support, and funded partly by a billion-dollar drugs trade. Despite peace overtures from the government, the Taliban insist they will keep fighting until all foreign forces have left. Even if that happened overnight, there remains the difficulty of accommodating a fundamentalist militant movement in a government modeled on the ideal of a liberal Islamic multi-party democracy. Washington wouldn't mind some sort of accommodation if the Taliban could be split from al Qaeda but the leaders of both groups, probably somewhere in Pakistan, are close and include Osama bin Laden.

ARE THERE ANY TIMETABLES AND WHAT ARE THEY FOR?

At an international conference of Afghanistan's stakeholders last week, an ambitious target of 2014 was set for government security forces to be responsible for operations across the country, although it didn't specify how much foreign support would remain. For this to happen, a series of other targets must first be met, including significantly improving security in order for governance and development to function. Obama and other leaders of nations in ISAF are under growing pressure to bring their troops back home and some have already announced departure dates. Some analysts say timetables are unreasonable because they don't take account of an ever-changing situation on the ground, but Washington still hopes to meet a July 2011 target to start a gradual withdrawal.

WHAT ABOUT PRESIDENT KARZAI AND THE GOVERNMENT?

With parliamentary elections scheduled for September, President Hamid Karzai won support for modest peace overtures to the Taliban last month at a national gathering of tribal elders and other notables. Parliament has been increasingly fractious, twice rejecting his ministerial choices, and some cabinet posts remain unfilled since last year's fraud-marred election.

Afghanistan remains deeply divided along tribal lines. While Karzai does enjoy personal popularity among fellow Pashtun south and east -- from where the Taliban draw their strength -- his kinsmen distrust political alliances he has formed with former warlords and militia leaders from elsewhere.

WHO ELSE HAS A STAKE IN AFGHANISTAN?

Two parallel and dangerous rivalries have been unfolding in Afghanistan: a proxy war between rivals India and Pakistan and another between Iran and the United States.

Pakistan perhaps holds the highest cards in any possible deal with the Taliban to bring an end to the conflict. The WikiLeaks documents underscore long-held ties to the group, which emerged as a key strategic asset against arch-rival India in the chaos of post-Soviet Afghanistan. Like other regional players, Pakistan is eyeing an endgame and would rather have a friend in the Taliban in power that it can manipulate after foreign troops withdraw. Pakistan does not want Afghanistan to open separate talks with the Taliban and would have to be involved if any negotiations were to bear fruit.

Iran and the United States are also in the middle of a high-stakes game. Like the Pakistanis, the Iranians are telling Washington they will also have a stake in Afghanistan once foreign forces leave. Iran's intelligence services and members of the Revolutionary Guard are also said to be backing elements of the Taliban even though there is no love lost between Shi'ite Iran and the Sunni Muslim Taliban. On top of this, the Chinese and Russians are also pulling on Afghanistan. China's interest is largely commercial, while Russia is concerned in the longer term about instability spilling into central Asia.

SO WHAT IS LIFE LIKE FOR ORDINARY AFGHANS?