Downfall of Númenor -> Culpable are the Valar?

[A_Brandybuck]

The island of Númenor was given to the Edain as a gift for the help in the long battle against the Dark Lord Morgoth. The Númenóreans were granted with a long long life and at the same time with special abilities and wisdom beyond that of normal men living in Middle-Earth. They became great, but in the beginning not Men of War. The loved the peace ans were great mariners. The only thing, which they were not allowed to do was to sail west, searching for the Blessed Realm.

But later in time their hearts became dark and they longed for a longer life, if not for the immortality. They cursed the, that it is forbidden to sail west into the Undying Lands. It was nearly the only thing, which they hadn't yet achieved: to see Valinor or the Lonely Island. This ends in the Coming of the fleet of the Númenóreans into the west and the Downfall.

We all know these happenings. But why happened this? Who was culpable of these tragic events in the Second Age? Were this only the Men of Númenor, which can't get enough of power? Or should we search the guilt by another group?

Wasn't the creation of Númenor the point of the beginning of the Downfall of Númenor? Or was it just the connection of Númenor with the ban not to sail west?

Wasn't it just inevitably, that the Númenóreans revolted against the ban?
I think, that in the Downfall of Númenor was a direct consequence of the creation of it together with the ban of the Valar not to sail west. As long as the Númenóreans have much to do and to explore in Middle-Earth, they were content. But after they explored so much things, they desired more, but they were not allowed to.
Isn't it just the same, when you put the sweetest fruit of all in front of a child and saying, "you are allowed to do all things, that you want, but NOT to try this fruit, you will see it all the time." At any time the child will check it out..... especially when this child is a little prince.

Didn't the Valar understand the nature or the character of Mortals. The reason, that the Mortals are not allowed to live in Valinor was probably, that they feared, that Mortals would find it mean, that they see them living and living and they themselves must die. But is it different not see them living, but to know, that there are 'a paradise' in sight, where all are immortal? Isn't it easier to understand, that they are inevitably mortal, when they live themselves there, instead within the Sight?

Maybe Manwë and the Valar judged Men wrongly. Maybe they thought from their point of view, the point of being immortal? In their view, there were no other generations, who could think differently. The Elder are always there and could hold the right way, where as under the mortals, things could change easily, because of the changing of the generations.

What are your thoughts?