"The gap was here," he says, holding his hands up between the frames. "The next ambassador was 2002 after the removal of the Taliban from power."

The gap is just a few inches of beige wall, but it represents 20 years of chaos, civil war and brutal totalitarian control. During those 20 years, this building was closed and shuttered. State Department officials say the U.S. holds embassies in trust until new governments are recognized. Not too far from here, the Iranian embassy has been frozen in such a state for more than 40 years now. //

Nejrabi says he and the other diplomats will stay as long as they possibly can. Then they will turn out the lights and hope it won't be another 20 years before someone turns them back on.