There are many means to an end...and aikido is one of them. I think we're kidding ourselves when we say there's no combat nor fighting in aikido. Once you engage, it's already combat/fighting. The only question is how confrontational do we want to get.

Only the most advanced practitioners who don't need to fight because in their spirit they have won have the right to say there is no fighting, but this does not only apply to aikido but to any martial art in general.