I sure account for free will a lot in the discussion I linked to, too. 
I think Sonia offered the most plausible explanation. If God really does endow us with the capacity to responsibly become (i.e., become mature partners with him in managing the cosmos), then God runs a certain risk in our exercising that capacity in ways God doesn’t approve of. And if there a real integrity to God’s purposes and the freedom that achieving those purposes require, then God can’t simply wipe creation out the instant it misuses its freedom. That would be essentially to not give us freedom in the first place. Does God really “grant” us the capacity to freely self-determine if he removes that capacity the instant we misuse it?
When my kids asked me about this I explained it in terms of their spending their allowance money. We gave them an allowance which THEY were responsible to manage. We instructed them, gave advice, answered questions, etc., but we told them this was their opportunity to grow into being responsible. Now, what their first expenditure was a poor or wasteful choice and I responded by just taking all their money back and discontinuing allowance entirely? Finished. They usually (with soem help!) figured it out and would reply, “Well, you can’t do that because then we’d never learn how to be responsible with what we’re given. You have to LET us misuse it if you really GIVE it to us in the first place.” And they’re right.
Tom
Whoops! You sure did. Sorry, I skimmed alot and apparently missed your points.
Also, Jason - you summarized the link, I thought, by talking about how it has to do with devils, so I just passed over that. I’m about to read some of it now though, it looks interesting. 