So please tell me you are NOT trying to equate this with a war. You really are now stretching to find anything positive to say.
Judy's plan ended in failure, plain and simple. Panam's plans ended up getting innocent people killed.
I said war AND combat, meaning when you have two sides fighting each other with guns and other weapons it's bound that people are going to die on both sides, however what would be the difference if I equated it strictly to war? My point still rings true, people die in armed conflicts on both sides, loss is inevitable. I'll agree with you, Judy's plan ultimately failed, but I was just making that argument to say that although her plan wasn't that great, it wasn't some kamikaze attack based purely off emotions and it did achieve initial success (although short lived) due to her refitting the doll chips with solo capabilities.
I don't know what you expected from Panam's plans, of course people were going to die that's what happens in armed conflicts. I wouldn't say the Aldecaldo's are innocent either, they all knew what they were signing up for when they raided Arasaka, only instance where anyone died who shouldn't have was when we downed the Kang Tao AV and Scorpion died, but who could've predicted Scorpion and Mitch would show up to try and rescue the downed crew? How is that Panam's fault? Still at the end of the day the plan worked and we got Hellman, other plans from Panam are saving saul (complete success, no casualties) and stealing the basilisk (complete success, no casualties).
Overall I'm trying to say that they're not (especially Panam) dummies who act before thinking and lack the capabilities to use logic to plan things out.