To return from the tangent, does the AI use the recruited general exploit? Or would the worry only be about the player? If so, who cares if some might use it as an exploit? Most (well, probably a majority, not that I really know) would probably approach recruited generals in a more responsible way.

And I'd still like to see some way to make generals sort of declare their satrapies independent (reduce movement 100%, increase recruitment costs 100%, reduce trade and taxes by a considerable margins, reduce cost to bribe) until another general restores order.