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Saying that the Eagles would be affected by the Ring is no different than saying that Frodo would. If no-one could resist the Ring at Mount Doom then Gandalf is effectively taking an even more risky bet since he could not be sure that Gollum would be accepted as companion by Frodo, would not be killed by him, would fall into Mount Doom. Any of it in fact.
Also as originally envisioned the intention was for many of the rest of the Fellowship to go to Mordor with Frodo. How would having any of them present at Mount Doom, especially Gandalf, be any less risky than having an Eagle?
The plains being full of Orcs is not a problem. They can just delay the flight from Rivendell until Sauron has launched his war against the West. Problem solved.
Like it or not they are an example of Deux ea Machina, they turn up where and when Tolkien wants them to in order to further the story. If we are to assume that it is the Valar who tell them when to intercede then what are we to make of Gods such as they?
(I might also ask exactly why they needed to intercede at the Battle of the Five Armies)
They intercede at the Black Gate, to fight off the Nazgul. What about the havoc the Nazgul have wreaked prior to that? At exactly what point does it suddenly become “valid” to intercede. Exactly how many people of Middle Earth can die fighting an un-defeatable foe before the Gods decide to intervene?
Why are the lives thus saved worth more than those sacrificed previously?
Which brings me to this;
“It clearly shows our weakness as humans--which Tolkien portrayed quite well--, the need for a dazzling shortcut; to savour the taste of victory without having to suffer, to face evil with no real danger, and to enjoy freedom without the sacrifice needed on its altar.”
I find that kind of viewpoint myopic in the extreme. Put yourself in the situation. With your children “sacrificed on the altar” to save Middle Earth. Sacrificed until such time as the Valar decide to intervene and give events a little nudge. I pray you never have to discover that cure for “weakness”.
Wanting a peaceful world is not “weakness”.
Wanting not to have to die for it is not “weakness”.
Within Middle Earth it appears fine for the Valar to make countless innocent lives pay for their inability to deal with one of their own.
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