9/11 Remembered

Hero of 9/11 gave life to save thousands

Richard "Rick" Rescorla has been called a "prophet" for being so ready for the attacks, "the Man Who Predicted 9/11" in a History Channel special, and a true American hero by countless others.

The tragic morning of Sept. 11, 2001 held unexpected miracles, and Rick was at the center of one of the greatest -- the evacuation of financial-services behemoth Morgan Stanley.

As a 62-year-old retired and decorated U.S. Army colonel, he focused on security at the World Trade Center for years. Even after he was told to focus only on his companies' floors, he didn't stop thinking about security weaknesses and terrorism. He insisted on holding twice-yearly evacuation drills by the stairwell for the firm's 22 floors in the south tower. The result: On Sept. 11, 2001, his team was ready.

Rescorla told Morgan Stanley staffers to follow his evacuation plan, and he sent them two by two, as they had practiced, down the many flights of stairs. His decision and his preparation made all the difference. Although 13 employees -- including Rescorla -- perished, more than 2,500 employees left the tower alive. That's where the word "miracle" comes in. It's also where the word "hero" comes in.

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Gadhafi’s Troops Slowed down Rebel’s Push

Resistance by Gadhafi loyalists rooted in two strongholds has stalled the rebels' final push for complete control over Libya.

Libya's new rulers say that capturing the towns, along with the remote southern stronghold of Sabha, is just a matter of time. They insist they've been slowed by unsuccessful attempts to negotiate surrender deals with tribal leaders where two representatives from the negotiation team were killed on Sunday.

However, the former rebels may have underestimated the continued support for Gadhafi in Bani Walid and the other strongholds, which had been favored by the old regime with jobs, investments and other perks.

Arguments among anti-Gadhafi fighters have further complicated the assault, especially in Bani Walid, home to the Warfala, Libya's largest tribe with about 1 million people, or one-sixth of the country's population.

In recent days, fighters who had rushed to the front from other towns complained bitterly about being kept out of the battle by their comrades from Bani Walid, who told them they do not want

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