Here goes:

The (rogue) investigator - Someone who is outside of the mainstream, a seeker, a thinker.

Guard dog - Symbolizes an obstacle or problem in the woman’s life.

Woman - She is prostituting her values in some way, and going in a bad direction in life.

You are trying to help a woman who has a big problem, by trying to figure out what is going on?

MSN Messenger - This might represent communication and connection. You want to understand, so you talk to these contacts. Some are links to the past. Their names are visible perhaps as a subconscious desire to know more about the people you interact with?

Japanese ship captain - The captain might represent direction, steering, control of your life and destiny. The unexpected, the unpredictable.

Being Japanese represents being foreign, a stranger in the land. Being an individual, not in sinc with the mainstream, different drummer mindset.

The crew - Took a trip (and your food!) into the past. Looking to the past connects to the direction you steer the ship. Destiny.

Time travel - The theme of looking to the past, reliving the past to correct or change a current mistake. Something that has happened needs to be corrected, or forgiven, or accepted. Something unresolved?

Civil war - (fascinating dream, btw!) You are a soldier, who passionately believes in his cause. This might represent a personal battle, or internal struggle going on.
You speak of two states (two friends perhaps) who can be powerful together.

Wartime signifies great losses, human suffering. Looking back on the past. Mistakes, conflicts. Heroism.
Something new emerges, a country defined and transformed. Transition. Vctory at a cost.

Or maybe it was the spicy tacos you had for dinner, lol.