All the points made are valid and I agree 100%. Having been there and done that I want to continue to drive the point home that expat flying for an American is not the way forward right now. Unless you're a dual citizen with a shot to work at a mega carrier like Lufthansa or ANA, forget it. The market in the USA now is in our favor more so than anytime in the last 15 years.
If you're young, build your career at home. If times get tough again, take an LOA and go make some cash as a Captain. Upgrading as an FO in a foreign company is daunting and you will continuously have a target on your back.
If you DO decide to go, just don't get stuck signing a 5 year contract and miss out on all the movement going on at home. You are better off paying a few hundred bucks to say you flew a Cessna around Stockholm or Osaka than you are missing out on the growth we have ahead of us at any US major airline.