You must be referring to the statements of Gedolei Yisroel that if the tziyonim try to rip the Bnei Torah out of the Beis Medrash, it will be better to live in C”L and learn than in E”Y and not learn.
Regarding your point, in America many Bnei Torah spend their lives in the Beis Medrash. So, yes, it in fact is able to be done.