Such is the logic of war. But metaphors have power. They express implicit assumptions. They frame discussion, and constrain possibilities. Here's a different metaphor.
Drugs are a force of nature , like the tide.
You can't stop the tide, and if you're smart, you don't try. If drugs are a force of nature, then we need to call off the war, and start building bridges. To stop the War on Drugs, we legalize drugs . But we could probably release a million people overnight. If we legalize drugs, then organized crime goes away .