So, I was reading out of curiosity about Napoleon's campaign in the middle-east and I was surprised at how decisively the capture of Egypt was undergone. Had it not been for Horatio Nelson's destruction of the French fleet - perhaps an earlier death of Nelson leads to a victory of the French in the Mediterranean? - could the French establish a more permanent presence in Egypt and thus the middle east?
Forgive me for my relative lack of knowledge, I figure that starting discussions here is an ideal method of expanding one's insight.