Sauron's using the Ring to control the Numenoreans does not really take away their culpability. As the story stands in the Akallabeth, the Numenoreans had fallen quite far, and then brought Sauron to Numenor. Sauron (Ring or no Ring) is still the architect of their ultimate fall, even though this work does not make the Dunedain any less guilty.
I would agree though that Sauron, with the use of the Ring, only acted upon the Numenoreans weaknesses, and did not simply seduce them to his control, and manipulate their later actions like pawns (though, they were his pawns in the end, in a way).
[ 12:37 AM November 30, 2003: Message edited by: Westerly Wizard ]
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"He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure."
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