Co-sleeping - Yay or Nay?

There is a lot of controversy about co-sleeping in the US. That is to say, it's frowned upon to have a family bed. Yet, who is it hurting really? Some infants just will not sleep in a crib or even a pack-n-play or co-sleeper that attaches to the side of the bed. Some babies need the contact of their parents in order to get to sleep.
Now, I'm not saying that a child should sleep in their parents' bed until they're thirty. But, I don't see the harm in sharing a bed until they are old enough to sleep on their own. Some people say that its the parents' job to teach their child to sleep on their own, yet the "cry out" method is now frown upon as well.
Which is worse? Sleeping with your child until he's ready to sleep on his own or having him cry for hours on end in a room all alone.
It seems that the phobia of a family bed only exists in the US. There are several other countries - I dare say MOST countries, that co-sleeping is expected and totally normal.
As long as co-sleeping is done safely there should be no issue with it. If anything, it helps the baby by encouraging breastfeeding and increases bonding time (especially if one or both parents have returned to work and are not around the baby all day).
Of course, the main fear that parents have about co-sleeping is SIDS. If you follow the same sleeping instructions you do with a crib sleeper then the risk is just as low. For more info on safe co-sleeping click here: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/cosleeping.html# 
What it comes down to is that you know your child best. Don't let yourself be bullied into doing something that is not right for your child. After all, it's true what they say. Mommy knows best.