If both "pam" and "ssh" use flags are used, there is a circular dependency between openssh and pambase when firt installing these two apps. Reproducible: Always
I have the same problem #emerge --pretend openssh [nomerge ] net-misc/openssh-5.3_p1-r1 [5.0_p1-r1] USE="ldap* -pkcs11%" [nomerge ] sys-auth/pambase-20090620.1-r1 USE="cracklib sha512 -consolekit -debug -gnome-keyring -mktemp -passwdqc (-selinux) -ssh" [nomerge ] sys-libs/pam-1.1.1 [0.78-r5] USE="cracklib%* nls%* -audit% -debug% -test% -vim-syntax%" [nomerge ] sys-libs/glibc-2.11-r1 [2.4-r3] USE="-debug% -gd% -vanilla%" [ebuild NS ] sys-devel/gcc-4.4.2 [4.1.1] USE="fortran gtk mudflap nls nptl openmp (-altivec) -bootstrap -build -doc (-fixed-point) -gcj -graphite (-hardened) -ip28 -ip32r10k (-libffi) (-multilib) -multislot (-n32) (-n64) -nocxx -objc -objc++ -objc-gc -test -vanilla" [ebuild U ] sys-libs/glibc-2.11-r1 [2.4-r3] USE="-debug% -gd% -vanilla%" [blocks B ] <sys-libs/pam-0.99.9.0-r1 ("<sys-libs/pam-0.99.9.0-r1" is blocking sys-auth/pambase-20090620.1-r1) * Error: circular dependencies: ('ebuild', '/', 'sys-devel/gcc-4.4.2', 'merge') depends on ('ebuild', '/', 'sys-libs/glibc-2.11-r1', 'merge') (buildtime) ('ebuild', '/', 'sys-libs/glibc-2.11-r1', 'merge') depends on ('ebuild', '/', 'sys-devel/gcc-4.4.2', 'merge') (buildtime) * Note that circular dependencies can often be avoided by temporarily * disabling USE flags that trigger optional dependencies.
Really nothing we can do about it :/ Sorry!