Don Álvaro.

This is coolbert:

With regard to counter-insurgency this man was far ahead of his time? Indeed, all others who have followed are mere reflections of the master?

Álvaro de Navia Osorio y Vigil, Marqués de Santa Cruz de Marcenado.

Referred to as Santa Cruz de Marcenado.

"Don Álvaro Navia-Osorio y Vigil, third Marquess of Santa Cruz de Marcenado, born in 1684 in Santa Maria de Vega in Asturia, Spain; killed in action near Oran in North Africa in 1732, was a Spanish diplomat, general, and author. At the time of his death in battle fighting off an attack by Ottoman forces in 1732 he was governor of the Spanish possession of Oran in North Africa."

Santa Cruz de Marcenado A MILITARY THEORETICIAN APPARENTLY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER! NEVER PRIOR HAD EVER HEARD OF THE MAN AND I WOULD SUSPECT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS REGARD!.

"The third Marques of Santa Cruz de Marcenado (1684–1732) is probably the earliest author who dealt systematically in his writings with counter-insurgency. In his Reflexiones Militares, published between 1726 and 1730, he discussed how to spot early signs of an incipient insurgency, prevent insurgencies, and counter them, if they could not be warded off. Strikingly, Santa Cruz recognized that insurgencies are usually due to real grievances: 'A state rarely rises up without the fault of its governors.'"

"Consequently, he advocated clemency towards the population and good governance, to seek the people's 'heart and love'."

Way before there was hearts and minds there was "heart and love"!!

"Between 1726 and 1730, Santa Cruz de Marcenado wrote seven volumes of Military Reflections, published in Turin and Paris. One volume deals specifically with the prevention of insurgencies and counter-insurgency campaigns. Santa Cruz was probably the earliest author who has given systematic attention to this subject, and there is a tragic irony in the fact that he was killed when trying to ward off a local insurgency in Spain's colonies in North Africa."

Before there was Galula, Thompson, Kilcullen and even Petraeus there was Don Álvaro.

coolbert.