A group of 16 national security and foreign policy experts have urged the Obama administration to maintain the Arctic in the 2017-2022 offshore oil and gas leasing program.  Signatories including former U.S. Defense Sec. William Cohen, former Coast Guard Commandants James Winnefeld, Jr. and James Loy, and former Supreme Allied Commanders (Europe/NATO) Gen. Joseph Ralston and Adm. James Stavridis wrote that removal of the Arctic would “harm our ability to protect our interests and to promote cooperation in the region,” cited Russian and Chinese military, infrastructure, and energy project/commercial investments in the Arctic, and discussed the need for private sector support to implement the White House, Defense Dept., and Coast Guard Arctic strategies.