A better way to run Iraq's election.(Main)

Byline: TRUDY RUBIN

Those who are wondering when the United States can draw down its troop levels in Iraq should pay close attention to the details of Iraqi elections set for Jan. 30.

The Pentagon just announced it is boosting troop levels to 150,000, the highest since the start of the U.S. occupation. The main reason: A virulent Iraqi insurgency continues to destabilize the country, despite the U.S. crackdown on Fallujah. More U.S. troops are needed to try to curb the violence before the vote.

Troop numbers will shrink only if the elections channel Iraqi energies into the political arena and cut back the numbers of Iraqis who aid the insurgents. This holds especially true for Sunni Arabs, a privileged …