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Another problem is the French already had another plan they were considering in 1777. It was a purposed invasion of Ottoman Egypt, which French agents viewed as a favorable target. And with the British focused on the Americas, the rich Levant is a tempting target. Especially when Russia recently trounced the Ottomans. And Egypt provides a way to aid French interests in India ad damage British ones.

So what if the French invaded Egypt in 1778 instead of getting into a war with Britain and allying with the Americans. Given France's own capabilities, and the capabilities of local and the wider Ottoman forces, what's the most favorable settlement France could impose in the Middle East, and how long might it take? Could the French on the other hand fail miserably in their pre-Napoleonic, pre-Levee en Masse phase of military development?
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