The app designed to report Iowa caucus results, developed by Shadow Inc, failed during the crucial moment. Shadow Inc has ties to the Democratic establishment and was paid by Pete Buttigieg's campaign, leading to suspicions of bias, especially among Bernie Sanders' supporters. The company's executives have connections to Hillary Clinton's campaign, and ACRONYM, the digital non-profit that launched Shadow, tried to distance itself from the company post-debacle. Rumors also involve Robby Mook's security company in vetting the app. The DNC's history of bias against Sanders in 2016 adds to the controversy. Despite no official results, Buttigieg declared victory, while Sanders' camp released data suggesting his win, fueling further distrust and anger among progressives.

Europe has appointed new leaders without a democratic process, highlighting the EU's undemocratic nature. Ursula von der Leyen, Josep Borrell Fontelles, Christine Lagarde, and Charles Michel have been selected for top EU positions without public votes or debates. The article questions the EU's legitimacy and connection to its citizens, citing the late Austrian political thinker Leopold Kohr, who advocated for smaller states as the true form of democracy.

The article discusses the significant reduction in Russia's defense budget, which has been cut by 25.5 percent for 2017, according to the Russian Federal Treasury. This is the largest cut since the early 1990s and contrasts with the previous years of military spending increases. The author suggests that the cuts are a result of economic pressures from Western sanctions and low oil prices, rather than a change in Russia's military ambitions. The article criticizes the Western media's lack of attention to this development and challenges the prevailing narrative of Russia as an aggressive threat. It also compares Russian military spending with that of the U.S. and questions the rationality of Western perceptions of Russia, citing a personal anecdote from a hiking trip in Siberia to illustrate misconceptions about Russian intentions.