@[member="Circe Savan"]
As someone who has regular contact with the people who run the republic (myself included among them), your claims of the republic being in a time of strife is incredibly incorrect. In fact, it's so incredibly incorrect that you couldn't possibly be more incorrect about it if you tried. We had an instant, smooth succession of OOC leadership to Josh, and to my knowledge, Harkness is still in command of the Senate by way of Chancellor. The only thing that's being voted on, is weather or not to keep the position of grandmaster post Selena, and that vote went through with the majority choosing to pick to keep the rank. The only remaining thing to do now that we've cleared that up, is to have the council elect a new Grandmaster (which will likely be done in the next 7 days).
TLDR?
There is no struggle for "who calls the shots". Literally the only thing different about the republic a couple of weeks ago, and the republic now, is Trent has chosen to go on a LOA.
Back on topic:
The best option, naturally, is to take out the nearby competition. The Empire could, in theory, dominate the Mandalorians as a build up to taking the Republic. It'd make the faction seem more dangerous, and it'd remove the "threat" of TSC doing the infighting routine.
I still vote leave the other sith factions alone unless they wish to join (obv consume them at a later date), simply because, well. Y'know. Sith + minor infighting here and there = Great roleplay for all.