Today, Al Qaeda in Iraq possesses limited options, and is trying to buy time. But while entrapped and weakened, Al Qaeda is far from dead. Bin Laden's brief moment of self-criticism shows that, although he listens, it's difficult to keep a ship from sinking after being thrown overboard.
Huh?
I had to read that twice also.
He means that bin Laden has been rejected (thrown overboard) so he will find it hard to stear the ship from the water.