Beer as a new benchmark for Iraq?

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Last week, the White House released a report card on Iraq, declaring that the Iraqi government had made “satisfactory” progress on 15 of 18 benchmarks. Democrats scoffed at the supposed “false standard” used by the Bush team, but both sides may be looking at the wrong indicators.

On Thursday, The Times of London reported on the progress made in the southern port city of Basra, which the Iraqi government liberated in March after British troops had failed to stem the growing tide of fundamentalist Islamic militia rule:

Three months ago, standing on the main street of Jumhuriya, a former militia stronghold in Basra, would have been a death sentence for a Westerner. Nowadays, with a bit of asking around, you can actually buy a beer here, even if you cannot drink it in public.

So, what does everyone think? Should we expect congressional testimony from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker about the fledgling microbrewing industry in Sadr City? Will Barack Obama crack open a cold one during his upcoming visit to the Middle East?