Please don't drag out that old saw that anti-war protests are about hating America.

Yes, some protersters probably hate the U.S. and some probably hate their parents.

But gosh, most are out there because they don't think the US (or their whatever their government is) should go to war with Iraq. Just because people disagree with you doesn't mean they hate America any more than people who disagree with me are right wing nuts (though certainly some of them are).

And from this article:

However, the singer, who was presented with the MusiCares Person of the Year award by former U.S. president Bill Clinton on Friday, is worried that his anti-war stance will damage his efforts to get American support for his campaigns.

His statement that the U.S. needs to take a reality check concerning its war plans is bound to anger George Bush and his government.

Up until now he had remained tight-lipped about the impending second Gulf War or as some are calling it an "Oil War."

But this weekend he said: "I think people often say that you first have to learn lessons from history, but history is just a bunch of screw-ups.

"But there are some screw-ups to learn from. I think the way terrorism in Ireland was encouraged by a very over-the-top British response is a good example.

"You had 300 active service members of the Provisional IRA in the '70s and '80s, and they sent in 30,000 troops.

"They also interned everybody who was suspicious without fair access to trial lawyers.

"Internment was the thing that actually grew the IRA."

Bono, knows that as the world's best-known rock star his word carries weight, and has spoken now to warn George Bush to reconsider his next move.

He added: "It would be wise at this moment in time to think about the mistakes that were made.

"Irish people have a little bit of experience with terrorism, and America has none."...

However, Bono added that despite his criticism of U.S. policy on Iraq, he and the Irish people love America.

He added: "I'm a big fan of America. Irish people and America -- that relationship is very different than most Europeans.

"To Irish people, America is the promised land and it has a mythic position in our psyche."

...Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that the Stop the War Coalition have asked Bono to front the world's biggest free concert against an attack on Iraq.

Organisers claim the gig, planned to take place in London's Hyde Park within the next three weeks has attracted the support of U2 and Coldplay.

Other stars lined up to play include Ms. Dynamite, Kylie Minogue and Travis.

Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis, who is backing the event, said: "We want this to be the biggest concert ever. It's got to be huge -- bigger than Live Aid."

A U2 spokesman said that the band had not been formally approached about playing Hyde Park.

Yeah bill clinton, the cause of 9/11, the man who started a recession late in his term so the heat about his perjury and other crimes would be deflected. the man who now says its a bush recession when it started 10 months before bush was elected. The man that sat on his ass while our embassies were bombed, and while the wtc was bombed the first time. The man that refused to authorize the capture of osama bin ladin when the isrealis knew where he was, so as to not offend yasser araffat. Fuck clinton and anywho who calims he did anything other than raise my taxes to give to lazy people.

Umm, did I say anything nice about Clinton? The story just mentions that he gave an award to Bono.
I didn't vote for Clinton and don't like him.

He was sometimes quite the right wing nut case (though progressive in some areas). Though he did care about this deficit thing (thus raising some people's taxes a bit).

And unlike Bush, he did visit Africa (though he certainly didn't do enough).

Or did you even read what this is about? Do you just search for mentions of Clinton to post that people should fuck (which has always been part of his problem)?

War Sucks, who the hell likes war. Is it necessary, uh yeah. Our dependence on foreign oil is not going away. So sit back and bitch about war while this crazy fucker builds terrorist training camps and chemical weapons. Just sit back and wait till he or anyone else who sees no repercussion for their actions. Wait till these fuckers have the ability to get those weapons to our shores, then what....too late. Do you think any other country would do the same as us, hell no. Anyone else who had our resources, what do you think they would do. Might makes right, may not be a nice thing to say, but what if the shoe were on the other foot, time to stop pretending to be this great benevolent nation and start taking care of our people.

A) I totally agree that a strong anti-war or pro-war stance would undermine Bono's efforts in Africa.
B) I think you are sincerely misled if you think that people are marching in the streets out of a hatred for America. I myself am one of those protestors. I love my country, that doesn't mean I have to agree with its every move. The same is true with almost everyone I've met at our rallies.