Python\'s datetime.strptime() is documented as supporting a timezone in the %Z field. So, for example:
In [1]: datetime.strptime(\'2009-08-19 14:20:36 UTC\',
I gather they are GMT, UTC, and whatever is listed in time.tzname.
>>> for t in time.tzname:
... print t
...
Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Daylight Time
>>> datetime.strptime('2009-08-19 14:20:36 Eastern Standard Time', "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
datetime.datetime(2009, 8, 19, 14, 20, 36)
>>> datetime.strptime('2009-08-19 14:20:36 UTC', "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
datetime.datetime(2009, 8, 19, 14, 20, 36)
>>> datetime.strptime('2009-08-19 14:20:36 GMT', "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
datetime.datetime(2009, 8, 19, 14, 20, 36)
These settings are machine-specific, of course, and yours will be different in all likelihood.