Sixteen years after its inception, only a fraction of the "green belt" of Iraq’s Karbala has materialised. Envisioned as a lush fortress against worsening desertification and sand storms, the 76-kilometre (47-mile) crescent-shaped strip of greenery took root in 2006 as part of a plan for tens of thousands of the trees to form a green protective shield around the Shiite holy city that attracts millions of pilgrims every year. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES