INCOME TAXES (Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation and Income Tax Contingencies) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Reconciliation of effective income tax rate and amount computed using expected U.S. statutory federal rate
Income tax expense at federal statutory rate	$ 949,633	$ 1,094,912	$ 1,046,307
Adjustment due to:
Foreign rate differential	(377,542)	(316,078)	(289,692)
Innovation Box Tax benefit	(324,633)	(260,193)	(233,545)
Impairment of goodwill and cost-method investment	343,484	0	0
Other	(12,691)	58,319	44,625
Income tax expense	578,251	576,960	567,695
Unrecognized tax benefits
Unrecognized tax benefit — January 1	42,594	52,356	22,104
Gross increases — tax positions in current period	2,468	3,411	9,305
Gross increases — tax positions in prior periods	859	4,305	6,569
Increase acquired in business combination	0	0	17,767
Gross decreases — tax positions in prior periods	(217)	(10,365)	(2,164)
Reduction due to lapse in statute of limitations	(9,077)	(7,113)	(346)
Reduction due to settlements during the current period	(3,912)	0	(879)
Unrecognized tax benefit — December 31	$ 32,715	$ 42,594	$ 52,356
Domestic Tax Authority
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Statutory income tax rate	35.00%
The Netherlands | Non-U.S. Taxing Authority
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Effective income tax rate, Innovation Box Tax	5.00%
Statutory income tax rate	25.00%