I mean the Ottoman's probably could due with some internal expansion, which is kind of happening given migration and attention their neglected territories are receiving, which TBH is probably worth far more than massive expansion.
Aren’t Iranian Arab largely Shia ? At least in khuzestan/arabistan Kurds seem more at risk here .
That depends TBH, while something like west Pakistan could probably given a far stronger boost the Ottomans around.
That is hard to say question, I mean a large chunk of them are but Sunni arabs have been cracked down a lot in khuzestan for decades and this is before the crackdowns began. So your right they would be majority shia.
Yeah, Khuzestani Arabs are majority Shia, so are the Kurds of Persia, though from what I read there seems to be Sunni pockets around Sanandaj OTL.
Their are Balochs, but their currently more or less apart of the British empire in practice, though it might be completely given the trouble in Persia.
The only thing i can think is an increase on exchange of any kind, between the towns/cities bordering the desert, the Ottoman Levante as the main backbone and the nomad tribes. Now the new rails will allow faster supplies, and for the other side, Ottoman Middle East is being settled, multiplying the possibilities for internal economy.
So....the Ottoman commonwealth?
It's possible i guess.
Pakistan consisting of iranian balochistan would be pretty interesting. But as britain is supporting the Zia Persians, i don't think it will really happen.
Indeed, which is why the Ottomans are planning only for defensive warfare, on the possibility that they will be dragged into a war, however simply wish to be left alone and to continue their economic development.
which is the current focus of the ottoman empire. Expansion can go to hell, however internal security and development are being placed at the forefront of ottoman policy right now.
If a great war breaks, out i think pakistan will probably still take place, though in an alt-manner. The great war otl basically angered the alienated indian muslim population to galvanize for a separate muslim homeland.
Should the Russian Empire fall apart, i can see the Ottomans not annexing the caucasus, but pulling them into their sphere of influence.
true enough. But some Turanists would raise voices.
the modern middle east ittl will be interesting to say the least
yes the iranian arabs and kurds are mostly shia. Though a sizeable sunni minority do exist.
I am mostly using The Ottoman Economy and Its Institutions as my guide here. The Ottomans incurred around 37 million pounds in debt otl due to the balkan wars which have been averted here ittl. Second italian debts had been defaulted and the dutch forgave a partial amount of their debts. Plus italian war reparations as well. One of the major reasons as to why i focused so much on the economic situation of the empire was because the deficit being slowly reversed. Anyways, no OPDA does not mean no debt. It means lowering it enough that debt legations need not exist.
Pakistan did start with that in mind, it was after all the purpose of protecting a rather large minority. Muhajirs are made from every muslim who could the Pakistani border alive from all other India. Most of the mixed soldiers in the ''Pakistani'' regiments and their families were protected as they were escorted out.
I could see some pressing for it, but I can also see the Ottomans giving some serious thought to not annexing them on the basis they're still updating everything. Why add more lands to update accordingly, when they'll also piss off your biggest neighbor?
