http://docs.python.org/library/argparse.html#arguments-containing 
The attached file shows different behaviours when using '--' immediately after an optional argument.

tumbolandia:cpython maker$ python foo.py --test=-- foo 
[]
tumbolandia:cpython maker$ python foo.py --test -- foo 
usage: foo.py [-h] [-t TEST] [yuri]
foo.py: error: argument -t/--test: expected 1 argument(s)

The same is for single-dash arguments.

tumbolandia:cpython maker$ python foo.py -t -- foo
usage: foo.py [-h] [-t TEST] [yuri]
foo.py: error: argument -t/--test: expected 1 argument(s)
tumbolandia:cpython maker$ python foo.py -t-- foo
[]

Obviously argparse should return an error in both cases.
The  bug is probably due to Lib/argparser.py:2211