The mistake was there in the begining. Let me give you a example of the military tactics. Where ever you find a stiff resistance in battefield and you have your best forces with you just bybass that location without having a head to head coliision with the strong resistance. One of the famous general like Romel excercised this tact and stunned the enemy (just an example) with less might. If you dont do it then the the sharp barb will get blunted. Same is the case once you get very diffcult question in the exams (my professor use to put), bypass it in the beginging come to it afterwards and do your best you will get the best grade and will solve it.

In the begining if all the objectives against negative part of forces there could had been achieved without having the direct conflict or a direct war by just reaching there supply lines and driving them out by starving then it was a biggest achievement. That is what the Pakistan had proposed.