DOES GOD WANT PEOPLE TO PERISH?

Proverbs 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. (KJV) John 12:40  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. (KJV) II Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (KJV)

I think the critic here is forgetting about free will.  God gave us free will to choose to follow Him or not, but wants everyone to choose to follow Him.  Being all-knowing, He does know that some will not, and has reserved punishment for them.  In the John passage, what is really being said is that God has allowed those who do not want to believe to blind themselves and harden their hearts to the truth.  Though God Himself is not imposing this upon them, He is allowing it, and can then said to have some sort of hand in it.  Not a contradiction.