[snopercod]

...spent reactor fuel rods, and wrapping it around readily-available conventional explosives.

What a crock! Merely having eye-contact with one of those rods for a few seconds is fatal. How are they going to

1. Procure one in the first place. You can't just buy them at your local hardware store.
2. Transport it to Afghanistan. You really don't want to check a 20' long hot, glowing rod with your baggage for the flight.
3. Cut through the zirconium sheath to remove the spent fuel pellets.
4. Handle the "bomb" when they had done all this?

I repeat, this article is a crock.

[MetalHeadConservative35]

I repeat, this article is a crock.

maybe,maybe not never the less all possible scenerio's should be looked at.

[FreeAtlanta]

Large fuel rods, yes, I agree with you. However, what about rods from research reactors, or Cesium or Cobalt irradiation rods. It would take a lot of lead to transport, and the handlers themselves would probably receive a lethal dose (they are suicidal anyway), but it is a threat.