Choice!?!!! Really?

For someone who can’t lie, Jacob seems to either live in a fantasy world or tell really big ones.

Kate and Sawyer are touched as kids and then later forced to an island where they either can become a candidate or die.

Granted, they did come back (and maybe that was why Ben was so quick to say, OK … maybe a true candidate was taken there with no choice, but came back on their own … including Ben and Widmore).

But, what about Desmond? Hardly seems one would have to tie him up if he was there by his own ‘free will’. Seems more like he was forced there the first time and got there the 2nd time kicking and screaming.

In fact, the only ‘free will’ thing Desmond did (not turning the key) is what brought the next batch of candidates there against their will (candidates and a hundred or so ‘collateral damage’ in the war to keep MIB on the island and protect the stoopid warm light).

Can anyone explain this to me here?