Dehavillanddriver
You are quite right. It doesn't take 3-4000 on type before you are considered an effective commander.
It's just that up untill the events of Sept. it was more to do with supply and demand of pilots.
With the well documented world shortage of pilots, it wasn't uncommon to find a 500 hr pilot in the right hand seat of a 737, especially in Europe, as there were no others available with more experience to take the posi. No problem really, as long as the pilot is put through an effective C&T program that deems he/she as satisfactory.
Now if this pilot shortage was still an issue , which it is most definately not, then low time guys and gals getting commands on jets wouldn't raise an eyebrow. But at the mo, there is an over supply of very experienced pilots on these types which unfortunately raises the bar again.
I think the only reason pilots in this country were sitting in the right hand seat for 3-4000 hrs before a command was because there was nothing happening in the airlines for such a long time and no upgrades were up for grabs.