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Saruman did create some sort of bomb (the book is not as clear as the movie is), and used it to breach the walls of Helms Deep. He also started clear-cutting the forest around Isengard, and had actually started earlier in the book than he did in the movie. In the book, the Ents were already aware of Saruman's cuttings before the arrival of Pippin and Merry, though in the book many of the clearcuts were simple maliciousness on the part of orcs.

I have no qualms with the accuracy of what the author of this piece says that Saruman did. But what he calls Saruman's "scientific rationalism" could just as well be called Saruman's "war mongering anti-environmentalism." The author also notes disapprovingly that "Western leftists are feminist, pro-gay, and morally permissive," which may be true but has nothing to do with "Lord of the Rings." While Tolkien's characters were morally chaste, you have to consider Eowyn quite the feminist, hiding her appearance in order to go off to war. And don't get me started on the hidden meanings in the relationship between Sam and Frodo!

My main point is that whenever someone takes old works and tries to make points with them about modern occurences, they are simply echoing what they already believe.