That's Omar's metaphor for what needs to be done to return our Iraqi imperial province to some kind of normalcy:
Most people would say it’s impossible. No one could eat an elephant. Others would argue that one actually could eat an elephantwith patience, one bite at a time.
Maybe some Iraqis are now nibbling at the tail. If the politicians cannot accomplish it at a national level, the desire of ordinary Iraqis for some kind of sanity does seem to be gaining pace. It cannot substitute for national decisions, but it is a hopeful sign.
This article available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/12/-eating-an-elephant/222343/
