Terrorist violence returns to the North of Ireland. This is from The Observer:

Two army personnel were shot dead during a drive-by shooting at an army base in Co Antrim last night, raising fears that the grim spectre of terrorism has returned to haunt Northern Ireland.

Two more military personnel were wounded along with two civilians in what is believed to be the first major terrorist attack in the province for over a decade. All four are said to be in a “serious” condition.

The shootings occurred at the Massereene Army base in Antrim, 16 miles north of Belfast, at 21.40 last night. It is understood that a car or van pulled up outside the main gates. Soldiers and security staff thought pizzas were being delivered and walked straight into an ambush.

Witnesses described hearing two long bursts of gunfire. At least six ambulances and three paramedic vehicles were dispatched to the scene and a total of six people were taken to Antrim hospital. The area around the barracks was sealed off and a major security operation was last night under way.

The attack is the first major incident believed to involve dissident republican terrorism since the Omagh bomb in August 1998. It would also be the first time members of the security forces have been killed by a Republican terrorist organisations since July 1997 when the Provisional IRA killed two members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

I would like to say I find it difficult to believe that people can be so very stupid. But I don’t. Some people are just cretinous. My wish today is that others don’t get caught up in this, that friends and family and political allies of those hurt can mourn and let it go, that they’re willing to let the security forces find the moronic thugs responsible and put them in a nice clean prison where they will be forgotten. My wish for the rest of the week is that fools trip over their guns, forget to turn off the safety, or drop their knives down the street sewer by mistake. I am so tired of watching mean-spirited, small minded *gits* fuck things up for others.

I hope someone reading this has something good to say about the human race. Right this minute I’m not feeling it.