Reply #24: Let me save you the trouble

[Alamuti Lotus]

Certain forces looked at the matter at hand. There were two main power blocs in Europe. There was Britain & France -- they knew all about Britain & France, because they ran their governments and armies; that wasn't working out so well -- and then there was Germany & Italy. Italy was on enemy footing in its own right with regards to Libya, Somalia and Ethiopia, but somewhat less so than the primary imperialist forces. Germany arrived late on the empire building game and was largely restricted in activites to China and sub-Saharan Africa. With these forces at work, some thought that the defeat of the nearby-enemy by a more distant enemy would be preferable. There's not too much complicated there. I already know about the "Grand Mufti" business.