Who and What were the Neanderthals?

The Neanderthal, like Homo-sapiens, had a Homo erectus ancestor some 500 to 600,000 years ago. (Many consider Homo heidelbergensis to be a separate species & the ancestor of Neanderthal while others consider heidlebergensis to simply be a somewhat evolved erectus.) The recent nearly complete sequencing of the Neanderthal genome (by the Max Planck Institute) determined that non African sapiens bred with Neanderthal to produce hybrids about 60 to 80,000 years ago. Due to the time frame it is likely the hybridization took place in the Mid East.

Therefore it appears as if the Neanderthal lives on in the genes of all non Africans as from 1 to 4% of their genome is derived from Neanderthal. Savante Paabo of the Max Planck Institute says the genes in question affect skin, sweat glands and cognitive development. Therefore the Homo-sapienss made love, not war, on Neanderthal in the mid east.
Neanderthals were apex predators that subsisted mainly on red meat and due to the location and shape of clavicle & scapula (collar bone & shoulder blade) may have been unable to accurately throw their spears in an overhand motion. Because they never ate anything other than large animals and had to get close to them to stab with their heavy spears, it is likely they starved when Humans began to hunt animals with their light weight throw able spears.