On a serious note, its getting harder and harder for the band U2. Regardless how much versatile a person Bono maybe its hard to write songs when there are several million other agendas in your heard.
For any artist of high class its very important to submerge in their art, great actors often live the characters they work on, great musicians dream up a musical landscape which transcends their real life.
As for Bono, I would have really admired him if he would have spent this much time and energy to improve is musical instrument playing skills. I know he does things here and there,I may be unfair on him knowing only what I get to see in black and white but somethings are far too obvious.
I really appreciate his sincerity and dedication for his beliefs, but as Larry rightly said take a year or two off. I dont have any issues with album getting delayed, hey its their music and its their life... but I can't see an artist speding so much time away from his art, afterall concentration, focuss, imagination are essential part of creativity.