Shi'ite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr casts his vote Wednesday to elect the country's new parliament in Iraq's first national election since U.S. forces withdrew in 2011.<br/> <br />Sadr spearheaded militant uprisings against U.S. forces before their withdrawal in December 2011.<br/> <br />Last February, Sadr announced that he was leaving political life and dissolved his movement. He now is urging supporters to vote as Prime Minister Nuri Maliki seeks a third term.<br/> <br />In Baghdad, Iraqi officials and political leaders cast their ballots.<br/> <br />Iraq's Sunni Muslim parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, seen as Maliki's main rival, ruled out any alliance with Maliki.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (ARABIC) IRAQ'S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER, OSAMA AL-NUJAIFI, SAYING:<br/> <br />"This is a deferred matter now, we have red lines and we will not forge an alliance with the current prime minister at all."<br/> <br />Political analysts say no party is likely to win a majority.<br/> <br />The coming period will test Iraq's democracy. It took n
