BrowntailWhale:
That is perhaps understandable (from a cargo perspective), but the US appears to have so much more to lose, and it could open up a nasty "Pandora's Box" which could slowly doom the younger pilots over here. One's unleashed, those demons could never be pushed back into the box.
The economic situation is bad enough.
At my age many of us could say "who cares about them?", but along with the younger generation (except for the lower-time FOs), many of whom realize that they will spend careers in RJs (many RJs already Are their B-737, F-100, DC-9, while being paid about 75% less after just a few years...), it might also sell many more future pilots "down the river", who are still in high school.