Final answer:
The US launched airstrikes and a subsequent invasion of Afghanistan to target al-Qaeda and overthrow the Taliban regime in response to the 9/11 attacks. The mission broadened to include rebuilding and stabilizing the country but was complicated by the shift of focus to Iraq in 2003.
Step-by-step explanation:
The true objective of the US airstrikes on Afghanistan was to dismantle the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, capture its leader Osama bin Laden, and overthrow the Taliban government that was harboring them. This action, named Operation Enduring Freedom, was in direct response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, thought to be orchestrated by bin Laden from within Afghanistan. The US military operations also aimed at rebuilding civil society and supporting a democratically elected government in Afghanistan while combating the Taliban insurgency.
The relationship between the US and Afghanistan became a focal point of US foreign policy, with diplomatic ties resuming in late 2001. The western military efforts, which included collaboration with Afghan groups such as the Northern Alliance, led to the initial defeat of the Taliban and the disruption of al-Qaeda's operations, although the core leadership, including bin Laden, initially evaded capture. These objectives were complicated by the subsequent shift in focus towards the invasion of Iraq in 2003, which diverted military resources and attention from the efforts in Afghanistan.