Literal interpretations of Biblical text often lead to some very weird results. They gives us things like Creationism, Geocentrism and the flat earth. With that said, I should point out the the book of Joshua starts right out giving the borders of Israel. It lists the eastern border as the Euphrates river. How many settlers think they have a right to Baghdad?
Traditionally the reference to the Euphrates does not mean the Eastern border of biblical Israel is the whole of the Euphrates. Rather, the Euphrates forms part of the Northern border in what is now Syria (or possibly Turkey too, I don’t remember.) However, when Ezekiel allots land to tribes for the future kingdom, the allotments only go to Zedad (Sadad, Syria), a considerable distance short of the Euphrates.
~Max
FTR, I wasn’t lecturing you. You challenged my characterization without substantiation, I conceded your point and linked to news articles on the same. Fighting ignorance, you know.
I don’t frequent these threads, though given your linking to primary sources I gathered you were informed on the subject.