Did the White Council do the right thing?

[Arvedui]

As some of you might know, there is a Debate-tournament going on on TTF.
Each and every debate have had its own topic to discuss. Because of the debates being organized around teams from the various debating guilds, the topics have not been available for everyone to discuss.

Until now.

I will post the various topics in their rightful place in the book-section, and hopefully lively discussions might come from this.

This is the first posted topic in this series:

Considering all that happend after, did the White Council make the right decision to drive the Necromancer from Dol Goldur??

Enjoy.

 

[Flammifer]

It was a good decision. Well, I should say it was a good idea. The treachery or Saruman was the reason for its failure, though it is ironic that it was by his arts that the White Council actually managed to drive Sauron from Dol Guldur.

It needed to be done sooner. But it wasn't. Thus, Sauron had time to prepare for the attack which he had long foreseen, governing Mordor and directing the re-building of the Barad-dur through Minas Morgul.

 

[Celebthôl]

I dont think it was either right or wrong as Sauron would have left anyways, his retreat was fake, he knew about the ring etc, he was stronger, he was going to leave anyway, it made no difference really, and they didnt learn much. . . just gave them an ego boost that they are still stronger than Sauron

 

[ely]

I think they made the right decision. At least the right decision of that time. What the did wrong was not to understand/suspect that Sauron's retreat was fake. They should have been more careful with such a crucial matter. But even the wisest make mistakes. But the decision to drive the Necromancer from Dol Goldur was probably the best alternative at that time, and as we don't know what would have happened if they hadn't done it (or do we?), we can't really say that it was not the right thing to do for Sauron was a bit too dangerous to leave him alone and just watch what he'd do. I mean how far can they go with just watching him and doing nothing...

 

[Snaga]

In the debate I argued that the attack on Dol Guldur was a distraction from the wars that Gondor was involved in, and that really the White Council should have attacked Minas Morgul, for the reasons that Flammifer hints at.

surely the target should have been Mordor itself? The Nazgul had occupied Minas Morgul, and had driven Gondor out of Ithilien. This was where the real action was, not the fantasy campaign against Lothlorien and Rivendell. Real battles, real war.

If the White Council wanted to fight somewhere, this was the place to go. This would have been just as good a distraction from events in Erebor. Gondor needed help, and if the strike against Dol Guldur had driven the Nazgul out of Minas Morgul, then the watch on Mordor could have been re-established after centuries of lapse. And thus, when the Ring was discovered, the route to Oroduin would have been clear.

 

[Legolam]

I also took part in this debate (sort of), and I began with the view that of course it was right for the White Council to attack Sauron in Dol Guldur. However, when I started debating for the other side (sounds evil!), I realised that it wasn't the best decision the council ever took. Here's what I posted then:

Consider this scenario:
Sauron has had several years to take shape and plan his move back to his stronghold of Mordor. In fact, he has been building up armies there, waiting for his return. His main reason for remaining in Dol Guldur is his search for the ring, which has proved fruitless so far. However, instead of merely driving him to execute his plan to return to Mordor sooner, the White Council attack him with a coherent force, keeping him in Dol Guldur. Sauron does not expect this and has few forces to deal with the attack of such a powerful council. Almost similtaneously (in fact, a little before the attack), Bilbo finds the Ring. The Ring is taken to Mordor (where there is no Sauron and the forces there are less daunting. Heck, why not take an eagle!) and destroyed, thus destroying Sauron forever. Thousands of lives are saved. The End.

 

[Celebthôl]

Originally posted by Legolam
I also took part in this debate (sort of), and I began with the view that of course it was right for the White Council to attack Sauron in Dol Guldur. However, when I started debating for the other side (sounds evil!), I realised that it wasn't the best decision the council ever took. Here's what I posted then:

Consider this scenario:
Sauron has had several years to take shape and plan his move back to his stronghold of Mordor. In fact, he has been building up armies there, waiting for his return. His main reason for remaining in Dol Guldur is his search for the ring, which has proved fruitless so far. However, instead of merely driving him to execute his plan to return to Mordor sooner, the White Council attack him with a coherent force, keeping him in Dol Guldur. Sauron does not expect this and has few forces to deal with the attack of such a powerful council. Almost similtaneously (in fact, a little before the attack), Bilbo finds the Ring. The Ring is taken to Mordor (where there is no Sauron and the forces there are less daunting. Heck, why not take an eagle!) and destroyed, thus destroying Sauron forever. Thousands of lives are saved. The End.

Did they also post that you were insane?

 

[Gothmog]

Did they make the right decision? Let us take a look at some of the things that happened that year.

From Appendix B, The Tale of Years.
2941
Thorin Oakenshield and Gandalf visit Bilbo in the Shire. Bilbo meets Sméagol-Gollum and finds the Ring. The White council meets; Saruman agrees to an attack on Dol Guldur, since he now wishes to prevent Sauron from searching the River. Sauron having made his plans abandons Dol Guldur. The Battle of the Five Armies in Dale. Death of Thorin II. Bard of Esgaroth slays Smaug. Dáin of the Iron Hills becomes King under the Mountain (Dáin II).

We know that after Bilbo left the Misty-Mountains on his journey, Sméagol followed him to dale and then started to follow him back to the shire. However, while doing so he was lured to Mordor by the call of Sauron. This seems to have affected him because of the time he had the Ring in his possession. It took a long time for Sméagol to reach Mordor and be captured and this gave time for Bilbo's Ring to be identified as the One Ring.

But what would have happened had Sauron still been in Dol Guldur when Bilbo had been travelling back with the One Ring in his possession? Sauron had been able to find Thráin in the wild and cause him to find his way to Dol Guldur, and Thráin had only a "Dwarf Ring". With Bilbo carrying the One Ring close to him and Sauron left alone, he would have no doubt sensed the ring and had Bilbo and the Ring before the end of that year. If this had happened then nothing done later would have had any meaning.

So Yes the White Council did make the right decision.