I agree with some others here... Intl the tags do seem to mean "something"...

On my recent trip inbound to CDG and FRA my bags were the first to come off after having to WAIT perhaps for the priority bags to be move ahead of others off-loading the planes... but still it was in there with all the others..

However, coming home (SFO) well, that's another story as well.. Sometimes it a priority, other times I begin to wonder if I even checked it in the first place...