If by thinking outside of the box, you mean thinking apples are oranges, I just don't see the point.
Not if casualties are going to use as a litmus test to illustrate the success or failure of an on going operation. There were 6,000 casualties during the six-month operation on Guadalcanal. During that operation, one could argue the myopic view, that the men were being wasted at the rate of a 1000 a month, just to provide freedom for the jungle from the Japanese. At that point in time, that perception would hold water. Looking back with a bit of insight in 1945, the same observation would be dismissed out of hand.
Sorry for the tardy reply. My power supply went south today.