...but clean wing strategy cannot be underestimated.
Are you sure you are correct? Firstly, we are talking about tail surfaces, secondly we are hearing that aircraft are appearing to be flying quite nicely when contaminated and lastly, nobody, absolutely nobody is suggesting that we shouldn't de-ice in the way that we are instructed. What is being discussed is "does the tailplane need to be de-iced?" and "if not why not?" and the fact that some of us have flown aircraft that have been contaminated in flight without the aircraft exhibiting any unpleasant flying characteristics.
Personally, I have been bitten (but not too badly) by a contaminated aerofoil. But to say that "ice will always kill" is patently wrong. All of us would be better off if we understood why some aerofoils were susceptible to suffering from ice and others were not. Until we have more knowledge though, we'll continue to piss away our company's cash being de-iced.