tanks can be made obsolete with smart bombs and TOW-mounted IFV's. But Tanks can push the front forward without a serious loss of life and also destroy other armored divisions from harassing any ground troops.
There is some truth to this statement. However there have been quite a bit of progress missile counter measures.
Smoke is prepares one the oldest and since Missiles like the TOW, Konkurs, and Milan are optically guided, smoke would allow for the tank to reserve and dodge the incoming missile.
Modern smoke grenades contain chaff particles to block Thermal Optics.
There is also the Russian
Drozd technology which is a small radar that can detect incoming missiles and fires fragmentation projectiles at the missile,
Shtora which can jam laser range finders and laser designators,
Arena which is a modern incarnation of the Drozd system, and explosive reaction armor as well as ceramic plates.
Guided bombs aren't used too much for anti-air armor duty, most planes will either drop cluster bombs launch guided missiles of their own such as the Maverick.
Another thing to add is that many tanks are capable of firing guided missiles of their own out the gun tube, however only western tanks like the Sheridan(retired) and M60A2(retired) used them. I believe Israel made guided tube launched missile, however mostly Russian tanks use them. In Russian and Soviet Doctrine, only the command tanks are equipped with guided munitions.
However Tanks can't do everything on their own. They have limited visibility and require infantry protection for urban environments. IFVs are also important to tanks because they can carry infantry to battle and fight alongside the armor and the infantry.
do tanks even actually do anything beyond look cool anymore
They were meant bypass defenses and take land. They don't do well against people who like to hide.
Where are they being used, Syria:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_189715729&feature=iv&src_vid=nFGw6NI7nlY&v=8EuVyZIUfyM
It doesn't matter about the looks. It matters about the firepower
Same caliber gun as the T-64, T-72, T-80, and T-80. The only difference is that it's a new type of gun with modern munitions and an remote controlled unmanned turret.
