User blog comment:Sgt. S.S./If you could bring any dead character back to life in Skyrim, who would it be?/@comment-99.148.190.204-20121015014358/@comment-24.22.56.228-20121015232527

^The thalmor actually need the Stormcloaks. They give the Empire an enemy to distract them fromt he true one, the Thalmor. Sure, after the Thalmor have assumed direct control they would get rid of the rebels, but until then, the Thalmor wish to prolong the rebellion as long as possible without giving the Stormcloaks the upperhand in a final confrontation between each other.