Obama and Biden deigned military requests

[meliss]

If you deign something, you condescend to give or grant it. But according to context, Obama and Biden did not approve military requests for strikes. Please, help me.
"The White House did not authorize drone strikes against the Afghan Taliban inside Pakistan, other than select strikes against the Haqqani network. Obama and Biden deigned military requests for strikes on the Afghan Taliban in Pakistan as irresponsible attempts to expand the war." The American War in Afghanistan by Carter Malkasian

 

[jutfrank]

What help do you need, meliss? I feel you've understood the meaning of the passage.

I've never come across the pattern 'deign something as something' before, (the normal pattern is 'deign to do something') and I can't immediately find any instances of it from a quick search, but it's clear enough from the context what the writer means.

 

[meliss]

but it's clear enough from the context what the writer means.

Is it clear for you that Obama and Biden did not approve military requests?

 

[Tarheel]

Is it clear for you that Obama and Biden did not approve military requests?

It's an error. A better word would have been denied.

 

[SoothingDave]

I agree. This is the wrong word here.