Islander2 - I could not agree more.
All this energy spent on keeping the IMCr should have been spent lobbying JAA to get an achievable IR instead. We must stop being so insular and inwards looking and realize we're part of JAA and will be so for a long time. Let's make it better, influence it, make it good.
Because, fully implemented, and with a US style IR the JAR licenses could be a tremendous thing. Total freedom to work and fly anywhere in the world without hassle, pretty much. Renewable anywhere etc. That's something to strive for.