we make too much of "force protection" in a volunteer armed force
Concur that we do tend to let the media manipulate policy too easily with issues that are not germane to the strategy. Not to be cold, because I'm far from it, but the number of casualties should have very little to do with determining whether or not we're achieving our objective or not.

If they die while waiting for a strategy, then it is wasted. At least, if they die once a strategy is in place they are contributing to that strategy, and to our knowledge of whether that strategy will work.
I think we have a strategy now that the guys on the ground are executing (without adequate resources), so the issue is whether the strategy will change, and if it doesn't will the current strategy be adequately resourced?

This means we're at decision point and the enemy is trying hard to influence that decision. IMO the longer we drag out the decision process the harder the enemy will hit us in an attempt to influence the decision.