Far from protecting credit ratings, Europe's self-defeating policies will bring a blizzard of downgrades.

Following the defeat, the leadership of Hanthawaddy escalated its "self-defeating" policies of ethnic polarization in the south.

To Mr. Brahimi, that ban, often referred to as de-Baathification, is a self-defeating policy.

Stubbornly self-defeating economic policies are now seriously testing the will of Europe.

"This not only lets the peoples of the region down, but it is also a self-defeating policy," Mr. Schori said.

The Hanthawaddy leadership escalated "self-defeating" policies of persecuting southern Burmans.

Sooner or later, that self-defeating policy will be seen to have failed, perhaps only by President Bush's successor.

The proposed cuts to scientific research are a self-defeating policy.

They impose self-defeating policies on their own countries.

Certain others have insisted on a miserly and self-defeating policy that military costs should lie where they fall.