Understanding that both the Tal law and this one are less than they are made out to be leads to the likely conclusion that the objection is not really about zionism, IDF, working, or shmad at all. It is about control. Who wields it, who yields themselves to it, who benefits from it, and how is it to be used. Control is useful, and moreover, for those who wish to place themselves under it, its their right to have others make decisions for them. But it should be transparent.
Is the whole issue because the state and the IDF want to eliminate chareidi life, or is it because Daas Torah, societal control and emunas chachomim is threatened by the potential choices individuals might make? Does it even matter which of these is the real reason?
I believe it matters. As I wrote above, people should be free to yield up their freedoms if they so choose. But they should do it with full knowledge of why, not because they have been scared into it.