Hi,
My opinion (not by experience) would be to stay with the JAA system. I am an FAA rated pilot and have nothing but praise for the US system.
Although your source may be right to point out that there are jobs in SE Asia, those same jobs would most likely also be open to JAA (or CAA) rated crew.
The problem that I see is that you are in the market if you have got the hours (as you well know) and some tangible experience i.e. turbine time with useful ratings Boeing/Airbus etc. It is this latter area which is the now notorious Catch 22.
With the FAA, you will get more hours and can probably get additional boost by an instructing job, but that is still likely to put you at a shortfall (sorry to be a pessimist).
But please don't take my opinion as Gospel! You may benefit ten-fold from an FAA license and you can always obtain JAA at later stage. Its a tricky subject but I would say stick with JAA.
Good luck with whatever you decide
