You guys do have a valid point here I think - but there is also the flip side of this. If you're a USA citizen and go work out of the country for a year or two you're still expected to pay USA income taxes - even though you have no USA income.

That is not true. I lived in England for two years and did not pay US income taxes because the UK has a tax treaty with the US and I was able to document that my tax home was in England using the physical presence test.

Check your facts.