From the dialog in Skyrim's Civil War quests, the last one to be exact, General Tullius will tell Ulfric that the Empire must remain united because the Dominion were going to go to war with Mankind again.

Well I was thinking... If the Empire almost lost and was forced to sign the Concordant at full strength (Correct me if I'm wrong here), and they had not been decimated by a massive war, then how on Nirn can they hope to defeat the Aldmeri after being decimated during the war. I know the Aldmeri suffered losses, too, but almost all of the fighting was on Imperial soil, so it looks like the Empire lost a hell of a lot more then the Dominion.

So my question is, when the next war comes, how will the Empire survive? Surely not bend their knee to the Elves...?

The Aldmeri pulled a fast one and convinced the Empire that the Dominion wasn't as badly wiped as it really was.

And this time around, the forces against the Dominion include a Dragonborn. Dragonborn have a historical precedent of making haughty elven nations their lil' b&#$%.

Granted, but I doubt ONE wielder of the Voice could repel the greatest force ever seen. I'd rather face TWO Alduin's then fight the Aldmeri Dominion, seeing as I am a dragonslayer and all.

I see it like the Spartans from the Halo universe. They gave the UNSC the edge, but the Covenant still made Humanity bend over for them. For twenty-seven years.

The spartans didn't have an army of dragons. =P

If the dragons took orders from the dovahkiin they would be unstopable since only a dragonborn can kill them forever.