If this was Inferno you'd have something, but as for Hell there's something you are missing. Trash is rarely a threat to a mediocre geared monk, crazy elite packs are the only thing I had to run from. On the other hand I pack alot of healing, such that globes and pots were my backup rather than main sources. Haven't played Barbarian yet but my understanding is their healing is attached to particular attack skills and runed variants, and it's more or less essential that you carry some.
Of course even if it was Inferno, the answer is still gear. (and progression is no object, right?) Your ranged friends will be bowled over pretty fast without something to hide behind, it's not quite like D2 where the summoned tanks are plentiful, and things like vortex, jailer, waller, teleportation, mortar etc. don't exist. Even if melee needs to shoulder most of the responsibility for surviving in a team, glass cannon builds will require that melee to progress against elite packs, so it's not as if ranged toons are that much more viable.
Of course even if it was Inferno, the answer is still gear. (and progression is no object, right?) Your ranged friends will be bowled over pretty fast without something to hide behind, it's not quite like D2 where the summoned tanks are plentiful, and things like vortex, jailer, waller, teleportation, mortar etc. don't exist. Even if melee needs to shoulder most of the responsibility for surviving in a team, glass cannon builds will require that melee to progress against elite packs, so it's not as if ranged toons are that much more viable.