tax benefits was $302 million. If the Company were to prevail on all uncertain tax positions, the net effect would be a benefit to the Company's effective tax rate of $187 million, exclusive of any benefits related to interest and penalties. The remaining $115 million, which was recorded as a deferred tax asset, primarily represents tax benefits that would be received in different tax jurisdictions in the event the Company did not prevail on all uncertain tax positions. 

The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. The Company had $113 million, $110 million and $112 million in interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits accrued as ofDecember 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Of these amounts, $33 million of expense, $2 million of benefit and $17 million of expense were recognized through income tax expense in2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. If the Company were to prevail on all uncertain tax positions, the reversal of this accrual would also be a benefit to the Company's effective tax rate. 

Based on current tax laws, the Company's effective tax rate in 2013 is expected to be approximately 24.0 percent before considering the effect of any unusual or special items that may affect our tax rate in future years. 

Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position 

We believe our ability to generate cash from operating activities is one of our fundamental financial strengths. Refer to the heading "Cash Flows from Operating Activities" below. The near-term outlook for our business remains strong, and we expect to generate substantial cash flows from operations in 2013. As a result of our expected cash flows from operations, we have significant flexibility to meet our financial commitments. The Company does not typically raise capital through the issuance of stock. Instead, we use debt financing to lower our overall cost of capital and increase our return on shareowners' equity. Refer to the heading "Cash Flows from Financing Activities" below. We have a history of borrowing funds domestically and continue to have the ability to borrow funds domestically at reasonable interest rates. Our debt financing includes the use of an extensive commercial paper program as part of our overall cash management strategy. The Company reviews its optimal mix of short-term and long-term debt regularly and may replace certain amounts of commercial paper, short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt with new issuances of long-term debt in the future. In addition to the Company's cash balances, commercial paper program, and our ability to issue long-term debt, we also had $6,314 million in lines of credit for general corporate purposes as of December 31, 2012. These backup lines of credit expire at various times from2013 through 2017. 

We have significant operations outside the United States. Unit case volume outside the United States represented approximately 80 percent of the Company's worldwide unit case volume in 2012. We earn a substantial amount of our consolidated operating income and income before income taxes in foreign subsidiaries that either sell