[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Leaf

This question bothered when I was thinking about Sauron's Ring scheme. Sauron went to great lenghts to control the elves in a profound (yet more complicated) way, when he just could have used military force to enslave them or simply kill them all. Why did he do that? Was it simply impossible for him to overcome his greatest enemies with the traditional means of warfare? Or was he, in a very twisted way, fond of the elvish race?!

Sauron's plan behind the Rings, especially concerning the Elves, was said to be thus:

Seeing the desolation of the world, Sauron said in his heart that the Valar, having overthrown Morgoth, had again forgotten Middle-earth; and his pride grew apace.....Men he found the easiest to sway of all the peoples of the Earth, but for long he sought to persuade the Elves to his service, for her knew that the Firstborn had the greater power; and he went far and wide among them, and his hue was still that of one both fair and wise.

The Silmarillion Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age

From that, it seems that Sauron had no special liking for the Elves, other than as the most useful slaves available. He would also, I think, have taken a twisted pleasure in corrupting the first, fairest, and wisest of the Children of Ilúvatar.

Originally Posted by Leaf

While I was thinking about this, another example came to my mind: Morgoths theft of the Silmarils. You could argue that all he wanted was to destroy the happieness of valinor and to drive a wedge between the Elves and the Valar. This is undoubtedly true. But Morgoth also wanted to take part in the beauty and bliss of Valinor by obtaining the Silmarils. The Silmarils on their own had no practical value for him: They don't grant greater power in warfare or the domination of minds, like the Ring does. They are even harmful to him, like physically rejecting his touch by burning him and bending his neck under their weight when he wears them in his crown. In a way he is unable to fully appreciate and enjoy their presence but he keeps them close.

The desire for light and life on the part of Evil is a recurring theme. Morgoth listed for the Silmarils, which contained the very light of the Trees he'd been instrumental in destroying. Ungoliant was greedy for the beautiful gems Morgoth had stolen from Formenos.
In FOTR, Aragorn describes the Ringwraiths as "desiring and hating" the blood of the living.

Evil longs for Light such that it recognizes the longing, and hates it all the more. The Evil realizes how fallen and barren it is without Light, and wants to "possess" it, not share in it, which would require a turning away from the Dark.