At one point in TTT (I don't remember the exact point but I want to say it's after meeting Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas in Fangorn--certainly before Helm's deep), Gandalf makes the following statement:
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...But Isengard could not fight Mordor, not unless Saruman first obtained the Ring. That he will never do now...
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To me, Gandalf's qualification about the Ring in his statement says that Gandalf believes that Saruman
would be able to fight Sauron if he were to obtain the Ring. By "fight" I think is meant "fight and have a reasonable chance of winning" (anyone can fight Sauron, they just aren't going to win! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] )
Of course, the only difference in the long run is you have a Dark Lord with a different symbol and an "m" in his name.
I would tend not to underestimate Galadriel either. Remember that she was accounted the most gifted of all the Noldor in Aman (with the possible exception of Fëanor--Fëanor with the Ring, now that's a scary thought
[img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] ) In the appendices of ROTK, it is stated that during the War of the Ring, Lorien was attacked from Dol Guldor. The attack was unsuccessful, for
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besides the valiance of the elven archers, there was a power there that none could overcome, unless Sauron were to come there himself.
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Some of that power was Nenya, but I believe most of it was Galadriel herself.
This is a little like the recent thread of "who would win in a contest between Gandalf and Sauron?" It sort of misses the point. The true strength of Galadriel and Gandalf is that they are smart enough to foresee where the path of taking the Ring for themselves will lead, and possess enough self-control to refuse it. It never dawned on Sauron that anyone would be capable of this.
[ February 08, 2003: Message edited by: Angry Hill Troll ]