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Originally Posted by The Might

In all of LotR one thing is more clear than anything - Sauron needed no help from Saruman. He had so many forces in Mordor he could have destroyed everything alone, and I really mean everything.

Note that he (Sauron) *was* using Saruman to attack the rear of the forces of the West. Had the Uruks overrun Rohan, they would have then assisted in the attack on Minas Tirith.

It was a great misfortune that something slipped into Mordor and all the way to Mount Doom, a truly unexpected event.

Hey, whose side are you on?

So if he was 110% sure he could anihilate all alone, why would he accept Saruman's help?

Again, as he was using Saruman for something, why not use him for something else?

Give me one good reason for that. I doubt there is any.

I'll give two: One, as Saruman said to Theoden, one just doesn't cast aside the help of a maia so easily, and Saruman had to have had some information, such as about the White Council, that could prove advantageous to Sauron, and Saruman was a Ring maker too (which could prove helpful), and they were both maia of Aule, and so probably shared some secret guild handshake.

He knew Saruman may try to backstab him and take his place as ruler and he was smart enough to avoid that. Plus, I am pretty sure people like Mouth Of Sauron would also not have welcomed Saruman, especially as they wanted the high posts as stewards over the western lands answering only to Sauron. So they may have dealt with Saruman before he even got to Mordor to ask for forgiveness.

True. But by leaving him loose, they were leaving a loose end, which could not only lead to some future plot against them, but also a straight-to-video sequel named, "The Son of Saruman." Plus, it's good to keep your enemies close, as, as you say, it's easier to stab them in the back.

Saruman did the only thing he could do, there was no other place he could enslave and rule with only a hand full of ruffians - the Shire was the perfect opportunity.
Ok, theoretically he could have tried to go East, past Mordor and to have Easterlings worship him, but even there Sauron had his agents and would not have tolerated competition, plus Saruman had a reason to go to the Shire - revenge.

Agreed. The Shire was a soft target. I don't think that it was so much about 'revenge,' but more due to the circumstances. If the hobbits hailed from a Minas Tirithy kind of place, he (Saruman) may have chosen some other form of mischief.