I'm sorry, but I don't agree. To say "Please" is foretelling of 9/11, is to also say "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is foretelling of 9/11. Both songs deal with violence and the morals associated with pain and suffering in non-specific ways. While every U2 fan knows "Please" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" have their roots in Irish national politics, the songs are not fixated to this subject. They are objective rather than subjective, avoiding a direct identification of their cause and motive. As a result of their vagueness, the songs can be applied to any event or idea that seems similar to each song's message. “Please” can be understood to embody the possible corruption that exists in every government official and the need to have politicians overlook personal greed and incentive for the values of their constituents. Aside from representing the conflicts existing in Northern Ireland between the government and the IRA, the needless violence illustrated in “Sunday Bloody Sunday” can also represent that tensions that occasionally manifest themselves through violence between English and French Canadians, or North and South Koreans. The only cemented aspect of either song is their usage of Christian beliefs, still making the songs directly available to many people. However, the Christian beliefs in both songs are secondary to their meaning and can easily be replaced for the beliefs of another religion. Unlike the music of Bruce Springsteen, which is so closely associated with Americana it cannot be separated, U2 show much flexibility in their music’s relativism. The central ideals in U2’s music are hope and determination, epitomized best in All That You Can't Leave Behind, which parallel the themes of most major religions.
Personally, I like to consider U2 citizens of the world and not Irish rock stars. With some exceptions, the universality of U2’s work make the band relevant and significant in all cultures throughout the world.
