Military necessity and republican ideology mutually reinforced the decision to dismantle Islamic empires.

Evidence

Because of the formidable threat that these men posed to the French, there was no question of maintaining either of their empires after their defeat. Ideology reinforced what necessity counseled. Confronted with such powerful adversaries, most colonial commanders began to see their fight as a republican crusade against “feudal” oppressors and religious tyrants with whom no compromise could be brooked-once again ignoring that their own incursions into West Africa were keeping “oppression” alive. — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 382