XIIGenocide
The Scaled Arcanist
The Thalmor are already in Skyrim, albeit only a fraction of them, but there presence is still there.
The Stormcloaks, even if they are trained up by the most experienced fighters are still no match for the Thalmor alone, you said it yourself, the Thalmor have been around for hundreds of years, and they are only getting stronger. Say the Stormcloaks do beat the Legion in Skyrim? Then what? They'll be weaker than before, quite an opportune time for the Thalmor to strike eh? With the Legion out of Skyrim, the Thalmor will have every reason they need to go in, they won't be breaking any temporary truces because they can go in under the guise that they are trying to get Skyrim back. And don't try and full yourself and say the Stormcloaks would be able to withstand a full on Thalmor assault, because we both know they wont.
The dying Empire won't mind the Thalmor going into Skyrim if they've been beaten there, hell they might even encourage it. Now, providing all of this happens, the Thalmor will have even more control over Tamriel, they could even use Skyrim as a way to push into its bordering countries. If the Thalmor don't want to have Skyrim for themselves, and they do hand it over to the Imperials they could still easily sit a puppet on the throne, the Empire will think that they've lost nothing when in fact they have.
The Legion may be dying yes, but they are not dead yet, and they are sure as hell stronger than what the Stormcloaks are or ever will be.
The Stormcloaks, even if they are trained up by the most experienced fighters are still no match for the Thalmor alone, you said it yourself, the Thalmor have been around for hundreds of years, and they are only getting stronger. Say the Stormcloaks do beat the Legion in Skyrim? Then what? They'll be weaker than before, quite an opportune time for the Thalmor to strike eh? With the Legion out of Skyrim, the Thalmor will have every reason they need to go in, they won't be breaking any temporary truces because they can go in under the guise that they are trying to get Skyrim back. And don't try and full yourself and say the Stormcloaks would be able to withstand a full on Thalmor assault, because we both know they wont.
The dying Empire won't mind the Thalmor going into Skyrim if they've been beaten there, hell they might even encourage it. Now, providing all of this happens, the Thalmor will have even more control over Tamriel, they could even use Skyrim as a way to push into its bordering countries. If the Thalmor don't want to have Skyrim for themselves, and they do hand it over to the Imperials they could still easily sit a puppet on the throne, the Empire will think that they've lost nothing when in fact they have.
The Legion may be dying yes, but they are not dead yet, and they are sure as hell stronger than what the Stormcloaks are or ever will be.