“Being a soldier also requires other Jews to pay for your living expenses.
Learning full time is providing full time protection to other Jews.”
Kovod, I was explaining why learning full time was different than wearing tzitzis, not why it was different than army service.
We believe that learning torah provides protection, but we also believe that soldier’s provide protection. The reality is that we (and every Jewish army in history) require both. The Hesder program of the religious zionists does exactly that. What is unfair about the Chareidi position is that they are not risking their lives but the Daati and the Chilonim are. Both groups are providing protection but only one group is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of Am Yisroel.