For a period of eight years, the Netherlands was one of the few industrialised countries without a foreign intelligence service. But now, the Dutch are back in business, with a brand-new Foreign Intelligence Directorate (DIB) almost fully operational within the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD). Surprisingly, the news has been largely ignored by mainstream Dutch media. In 1992, the government of Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers decided to dismantle the ‘Foreign Intelligence Service' (IDB), after internal feuds and scandals had seriously undermined the service's credibility, both at home and abroad. In addition, there was talk of poor management and overlaps...