[the phantom]

But just because a 'thing' exists doesn't necessarily make it OK to use it, and though I know you're not saying that it would be perfectly OK to use The One Ring or Orc breeding

Indeed, I never said it was proper. I am trying to temporarily suspend such a judgment. My point was that the use of orcs does not condemn one the same way Melkor's creation of orcs condemned him.

Would everyone agree that it is acceptable to hire (or otherwise compel) a non-western army to fight Sauron? I don't see anything wrong with that, and neither did Tolkien. He saw nothing wrong with fighting evil with evil's own devices. Remember the Paths of the Dead? Legolas said this in ROTK, The Last Debate-

Strange and wonderful I thought it that the designs of Mordor should be overthrown by such wraiths of fear and darkness. With its own weapons was it worsted!

So, what do you guys have to say about that?

And Lal, about this-

They were invented and used, but it does not make it OK to use them again

You can't make a blanket statement like that about nukes or almost anything unless the thing is in and of itself evil. You must always consider circumstance and consequences.

If Montreal dropped a nuke on Toronto because they were jealous, that'd be wrong.

But if Toronto was Mordor and Sauron was about to release a virus that would end all life on Earth, I think most sane people would excuse Montreal for dropping a nuke.

Might the same thing apply to the use of orcs?

But then I must ask, is there a difference between breeding orcs to make an army and hiring an army of existing orcs? Or is there a difference between breeding normal orcs and making a new strain of orcs?

What are your opinions on this?

And I just saw your post, Davem.

Tolkien seems to be saying that, in the last resort, anything is permissible in order to defeat Evil.

Do you disagree a bit, or completely? Let me tell you all a little story I heard used one time. Take a minute and put yourself into the story. Experience it and think about it.

There are two bad guys. They kidnap your daughter (if you don't have one- pick someone very dear to you). They plan on torturing her for a week and then executing her. You somehow capture one of the men. He refuses to tell you where she is being held.

How far would you go to get him to talk? What would you do to save the life of the person who is most precious to you?

This is an excellent illustration of how behavior does not always stand alone. Circumstances and consequences play a role.