I understand your earlier point of military wars not exactly being rational - but: Is it really moving the goalposts to say that comparing the economic impact

I understand your earlier point of military wars not exactly being rational - but: Is it really moving the goalposts to say that comparing the economic impact spread over decades isn't the same as one experienced relatively instantaneously? Or the risk of retaliation from a nuclear power isn't comparable to guerilla warfare? Moving goalposts or not, it just doesn't seem to be an apt comparison to gauge military rationality.