There does seem to be a lot of US flight school bashing here but the agitators forget an important point. If the standard of US flight training is generally poor then perhaps the accident statistics would bear that claim out? The fact is that as a percentage, the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents within US GA is the same as it is in virtually all European countries. Explain that one if you can!
As an FAA CFI I often have to check-out foreign pilots seeking to rent aircraft from our school in the States. Whilst the average foreign pilot demonstrates higher procedural abilities, i.e. check-list compliance, etc, I've seen a noticeable trend in poor slow flight control and landing skills plus patterns (or circuits) that are so wide as to cause concern should the engine fail at low altitude. Again we go back to the essential difference between FAA and CAA/JAA training and I agree there are weaknesses, but not as some of your contributors make out, all the fault of the FAA!