Forwarded to me today:

The streets of Minas Tirith were today thronged with people protesting government plans to pursue a war against Mordor. Thousands of Gondorian citizens were bolstered by a large contingent of Easterlings, Southrons and swarthy half-men from Bree, as well as isolated representatives from other races.

Most protestors agreed that the current White Council policy of sending lone hobbits into Mordor was the correct one under the circumstances and Sauron had as yet given no greater cause to widen any operations against him. "Sauron has given repeated assurances that he has no interest in acquiring Rings of Power" said Ilmiris, daughter of Manador, spokesperson for the marchers. "Ever since his invasion of Eriador was defeated at the end of the second age, Sauron has been a shadow of his former self, howling in the wilderness. It is unthinkable that he should ever grow once again into a threat to the free peoples of the world. This proposed war is one of pure imperialist aggression by Aragorn son of Arathorn. It was his ancestor who started the last war against Mordor, and Aragorn just wants to prove that he can be just as good at warfare as his grandaddy was."

Grima Wormtongue, spokesman for White Council chairman Saruman the White, was quick to agree. "Sauron is no threat to the West, none at all. He desires simply to be left alone. The threats to attack Mordor simply reflect the desire of Aragorn to control the rich natural resources of molten lava, volcanic dust and tangled brambles that exist there. All right thinking people should reject this without thinking too deeply. I repeat: do not think too deeply, especially about the people Sauron has killed. You will only upset yourself unnecessarily."

On the face of it, the peace protestors have a point. Weapons inspectors dispatched to Mordor by the White Council have found evidence of Ring of Power manufacturing facilities, but they appear not to have been used in some time; perhaps not since the end of the Second Age. However, hawks in the Aragorn administration insist that Sauron remains a threat. Gandalf the Grey, member of the White Council and reputed Maiar from the West, insisted that Sauron desires Rings of Power with all his might, and would not rest until he had cast a second darkness over all the free peoples of Middle Earth. In a passionate speech to the people of Gondor, he repeated his warning that the old alliance between men and elves was in danger of fracturing and leaving all vulnerable.

Gandalf went on to list the infractions of White Coucil resolutions breached by Sauron, including sending Fell Beasts into the No-fly zone over Dagorlad, maintaining Ring of Power forging capability in Orodruin, and breeding orcs in vast numbers. "It is this fast-breeder orc technology that concerns us, as it can be used to develop weapons-grade Uruk-Hai", said Gandalf. In addition, Gandalf noted that although sauron had been defeated at the end of the second age, his entire Republican Guard of nine Nazgul had been left intact, giving him a significant military presence with which to build upon. "There is no purpose for such preparations other than for one purpose - to destroy the world of men", insisted Gandalf.

Sceptics amongst the campaigners were unmoved by this line, insisting that if Rings of Power were so bad why it was that Lothlorien and the Grey Havens, both known ringbearing powers, were not also subject to weapons inspection. "The elves just want to keep all the Rings to themselves and in that way maintain their power over the earth. All their fancy rhetoric about their time ending and wanting to leave men to govern themselves is so much whitewash" said Ilmiris. "They're just afraid that if Sauron gains access to Ring of Power technology he will pose a threat to their hegemonic ambitions in the East. "Sauron has offered all assistance he can muster to aid the lone hobbits if only we'd tell him where they are, and it is symptomatic of the west that Gandalf and his cronies are trying to keep their operations in Mordor secret. How can we expect Sauron to be completely helpful if we act like this?"

Policy watches have also made the point that Sauron is also a Maiar from the west, and like Gandalf has previously been under the sponsorship of the Valar. They have suggested that the Valar should not have bolstered a tyrant like Sauron and that they should have seen the consequences coming. Marchers echoed these comments. "Yeah, Sauron might be a dangerous tyrant," said Hilamdril, an elf from Rivendell, "who has killed hundreds and thousands of his own people. But let's face it; they're only orcs and goblins, so who gives a * about them? "Let 'em * die", continued Hilamdril. "I'm alright, Jack."

In related news, cracks in the old alliance between men and elves continued to widen after the Men of Dunland refused to allow elven archers to be stationed in Dale and Erebor in case of attack from Mordor. Dunlandish spokesmen indicated that they felt there was no danger, and to act so would be 'provocative' to the peace-loving Mordor people. The spokesman went on to indicate they they felt the alliance was no longer necessary in the nice, safe modern world, and it had no further purpose since the walls of Utumno fell and Morgoth was exiled at the end of the first age.